Would this Win7 idea (checkboxes to select) make sense in XY

[j_c_hallgren]

Was listening to Leo Laporte's Windows Weekly #148 and the W7 Tip of Week was this: "Tablet PC-style multi-select"

Enable it through Folder Options -> View tab, scroll down and near the bottom is a checkbox named "Use checkboxes to select items". This gives everything on the Desktop and in Windows explorer a little selection checkbox. Using those boxes to toggle selection is often easier than Ctrl-selecting each item, and it doesn't interfere with shift-select.

and based on the description of it, I was wondering if any of our W7 folks have used this in WE and thought it would apply to XY...so before making it a wish, getting some ideas here.

I haven't seen it but sounds like the same concept as one typically sees on email where you select via checkboxes and have one in header line to select all as well.

[admin]

Functionally virtually the same as Sticky Selection. Plus GUI bloat.

[PeterH]

Functionally virtually the same as Sticky Selection. Plus GUI bloat.

from another thread:

Who needs a menu for this?

New Folder = Ctrl+N
New File = Ctrl+Shift+N

It seems these are responses of a keyboard-user to mouse-users?

For example this checkbox would allow a mouse-user to easy multi-select some items without one hand on keyboard.
That is: optical maybe bloat - manually an advantage.

So I'm a bit surprised by this strict reply...
(Isn't every GUI bloat, compared to a linemode interface?)

[Pagat]

But Sticky Selection is also done by mouse only. No keyboard necessary. So in this case it's not keyboard vs. mouse...

So why introduce checkboxes for a function that's already there?

[PeterH]

Oh sorry - after first having read the other thread I misinterpreted the sticky-selection argument as keyboard, too.

So to sticky select: I think it's something else but the checkboxes: those give a direct interface for "additional selections", while sticky select is a separate function to change the complete selection-interface. For example it makes "rename on slow doubleclick" unusable. Using that often I don't use sticky select...

But ok - the real reason for my previous post was my misunderstanding of keyboard-function.

I think this is like many keyboard-functions for mouse-users, dual-pane for single-pane-users, GUI for hardcore-unix-users , dual screen for single-screen-users, and many others: those wanting to use it will love it, others will call it bloat...

[j_c_hallgren]

So why introduce checkboxes for a function that's already there?

I was simply thowing out the idea for discussion as it might be used by someone on W7 and then when they find XY, they would miss it...and for someone who is used to the email folder style, it makes visual selection quite easy.

In terms of GUI bloat, the way I'd see it would be as an optional column so it'd only be visible if you used that feature.

[admin]

Anyway, it would be easy to add -- I'll wait for the street pressure...

[cz3siu]

Hi,
was this added since last year?:)

[admin]

Hi,
was this added since last year?:)

No, the pressure did not build up. Sticky Selection is good enough.

[jamesraykenney]

Anyway, it would be easy to add -- I'll wait for the street pressure...

Having only recently started using Win7, I have to say that, while I find it's look annoying, I also find myself using it when it would be detracting to try and make sure my left hand is on the correct key.