Talk:Spatial file manager

Yes, Windows is spatial if you set it to behave this way, that is: set it to open each folder in a new window AND set it to save folder specific changes (which does include the window position and icon layout). When set that way Windows does take care that every folder is represented by exactly one window or close that window when the folder is being deleted. And Window 95 up to version C (don't know about Windows NT 4) had the above two options set by default, which does indeed make it spatial by this pages definition. So either keep including Windows 95 or define and apply the concept of spatial more detailed. 22:29, 21 May 2004 (GMT+2)

Windows 95/NT is NOT spatial. It may do some of the concepts, like open folders in new windows thats why some people mistakleny think it is, It dosen't implement a lot of others. You can tweak Windows XP to make it closer, but it still isn't truely spatial. I have updated the article to reflect this common misconception. Ask anybody that uses a spatial file manager, and you will soon find out why Windows 95/NT/XP is not spatial. Krik 12:35, 21 May 2004 (UTC)[reply]

IMO that explanation is not full enough. From the article,

# A Window represents an opened folder.

# Multiple Folders can be opened at the same time, allowing files to be moved around.

Windows' file manager (not opened through Windows Explorer explicitly) does both of these.

Perhaps you could fix the article to explicitly state the criteria for a file manager to be considered spatial, or expand a little more on why Windows is not spatial? Dysprosia 13:22, 21 May 2004 (UTC)[reply]

Reasons you could argue that Microsoft Windows 95 isn't Spatial: doesn't use a different icon for an open folder, sometimes a folder will open in a different place that it did before. Are these two required?

Edward 14:38, 21 May 2004 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, it has to open in the same space. That's why it's called "spatial".

"Traditional" GUI file managers were spatial. It just seems that most people are too young or too intel-centric to know that.

Care to name some? The only spatial file managers I can think of are the Apple Finder, and possibly the Amiga Workbench (it's been too many years for me to remember for sure). I would call Apple and Amiga "innovative", not "traditional".