View Single Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobTrew View Post
I can understand the current of ambivalence about folders that runs through this thread. Nesting is useful (I am not persuaded by the current rhetoric about simply replacing "hierarchy" with search), but nesting needs to be fluid and easily changed, and one always needs flattened views as well as gathered ones.

The current support for drag and drop is already pretty good in the sidebar, but people clearly do find that folders are either just a little too clumsy for fluid and continual reorganisation, or impede a quick visual search just a little too much.

I personally use folders for building overview, integration, and narrative, but I do find that this requires continual collapsing, reordering and regathering, and that this isn't yet quite as quick and easy as it might be (though applescript can remove a little of the friction, with functions like "flatten the selected sub-tree" and "gather the selected elements into a new or existing folder").



--
Rob, thanks for your always thoughtful reflections. I must say that, bar my current un-fodlered system, your (un)flattening scripts seemed like the best solution vs. search for the reasons you mention above. So far I'm finding the absence of hierarchy (full flattened lists) are helping me out (just talking about my personal circumstances) because they "force" me to re-engage and be aware of my system's current state more consistently. In other words, having everything flattened out (paradoxically?) helps me trust in my engaging with the system fully and regularly.