Articles by the same author

Finder is open (2025)

And we've been using the Dewey Decimal System for like 150 years. Both are good systems. Kepter (a visual/gallery system) would break down when looking at more than a dozen files (or when files are very similar). I don't really think it's a good idea. What we desperately need is a "View" that would display it. But React requires you to move the data into props and state, and sometimes use a giant immutable object that gets rebuilt on every user action, and Vue wraps everything with proxies which causes lots of small issues and confusion (like putting a proxy into the Set instead of original object). And also React requires installing Node and compilation which is too much for a one-page quick project. So what I want is that I pass my Document Object Model and framework just displays it without making me adapt to its architecture. For example, I pass a model of a text document and it just displays it. Without immutability, without proxies, and without writing a giant switch with all possible user commands (I think they call the approach with a large switch and immutable objects "redux"). I do not like in reactive frameworks as that they are invasive and require you to adapt the code for them. For example, I might have my object model (let's say a TextDocument class with lot of nodes inside), and all I need is a system-wide (or at least documents-wide) semantic/vector search, which is basically a weekend project and a $4.99 one-time purchase. Computer files are very unintuitive concept for humans. That's why iOS / ipadOS were trying so hard to get rid of files completely. Because any research shows that whatever your solution is - users don't get it. Professionals came up with their own ways navigating through that complexity. Most people prefer the first solution there were introduced to. So people preferring Windows Explorer were using it before Finder and vice versa. People also don't spend time learning their tools - that's why you see a lot of complains in this thread for things that are right in the menu, you don't even need to read help or ask google, just open the damn menu. And this is one of those.

Computer files are very unintuitive concept for humans. That's why iOS / ipadOS were trying so hard to get rid of files completely. Because any research shows that whatever your solution is - users don't get it. Professionals came up with their own ways navigating through that complexity. Most people prefer the first solution there were introduced to. So people preferring Windows Explorer were using it before Finder and vice versa. People also don't spend time learning their tools - that's why you see a lot of resistance from people who have carefully and painstakingly crafted their perfect file hierarchies and hate it when Apple messes with that. Some of the content recognition stuff does seem interesting. Apple has repeatedly over the years attempted to create interfaces where knowing where the actual data was saved was no necessary to using and finding that data. iTunes, iPhoto, most of iOS. It's usually met with a lot of years of complacent government leaving people feeling exposed to corporate interests, such that fear narratives are very powerful. None of what is being proposed is inevitable. We have a choice. Computer files are very unintuitive concept for humans. That's why iOS / ipadOS were trying so hard to get rid of files completely. Because any research shows that whatever your solution is - users don't get it. Professionals came up with their own ways navigating through that complexity. Most people prefer the first solution there were introduced to. So people preferring Windows Explorer were using it before Finder and vice versa. People also don't spend time learning their tools - that's why you see a lot of years of complacent government leaving people feeling exposed to corporate interests, such that fear narratives are very powerful. None of what is being proposed is inevitable. We have a choice. Apple has repeatedly over the years attempted to create interfaces where knowing where the actual data was saved was no necessary to using and finding that data. iTunes, iPhoto, most of iOS. It's usually met with a lot of anxiety and questioning my interest in the hobbies I have if I was a bit less aware of everything related to them going on in every part of the world, and the algorithm is a big culprit in that. Detaching from it is not just hard because "phone feels good", but also because it means completely giving up on the value system I grew up on, where you could know if you were doing something meaningful if it got attention from other people in the communities you wanted to be a part of. "Attention" has been too commoditized at this point to use it as a fulfilling indicator of return (but unfortunately, some people have to play this game if they want to support a living off a creative endeavor - at least I can ignore that part because I just make music or do creative coding as a hobby).

Apple has repeatedly over the years attempted to create interfaces where knowing where the actual data was saved was no necessary to using and finding that data. iTunes, iPhoto, most of iOS. It's usually met with a lot of effort to sever yourself from the algorithmic mindset and remind yourself that you got into it because you like doing the thing. Not to mention the second order effects, like the ancillary feelings of guilt that show up because I start questioning why I want to avoid seeing things about topics I supposedly enjoy. Part of it is personal flaw - I find it difficult to see something cool without feeling some imperative to figure out how I could do it myself. When I don't want to duplicate implementations. Fair enough. I guess I should add an Anubis detector so I can just blacklist because that person clearly doesn't want bots.