Dynamic Favorite Folders
On every computer, users have 'favorite folders' which they frequently visit. Not only the common ones like 'my documents' etc. Some of these are deep within the folder tree.
Often, it takes a lot of time and effort to navigate dozens of folders just to get where you want to get. Pressing Alt+F10 doesn't really help, because sometimes you want to get to a directory which has an identical name to several other folders, and navigating the Alt+F10 dialog becomes quite confusing.
Also, TC implements a 'favorite menu' (Ctrl+D), but this requires frequent manual updating to keep up with your favoriate folders.
MY PROPOSAL (or request):
I propose an 'Auto Favorites' feature. Basically, every time the user is active in a specific folder (i.e, the pane for that folder is currently active, and TC has focus), a counter for that specific folder will advance. Once the user switches to another pane or tab, the counter stops.
The counter is persistent -- next time the user will be in the same folder again, the counter will resume from the last time.
ALSO, once the user stays in a specific folder more than X seconds, that folder's 'visit count' grows by 1 (1 more visit to this folder).
Then, using those two values (visit count + folder counter), it will be possible to assemble quite reliably a dynamic list of 'favorite folders'. With one keystroke, the user could get a list with the 'top 10' (or 20, or whatever) folders in his system.
The list will be sorted from the most to the least 'favorite' folders (from the top 10 or 20), thus applying also Fitt's law (the top folder is easiest to reach).
According to the 80/20 law, this list will be the one of the most useful and popular navigation tools that TC can offer such users -- because it will contain all of their frequent folders, automatically updated all the time.
Data storage will be handled by means of one large INI file in TC's home directory, or by a small 'counter' file in each folder. You could have the 'counter' file creates only once the user lingers in a specific folder more than X seconds (folders which you just 'pass through' don't count as they're not your final destination).
What do you think?
--Ezuk 04:22, 2 Aug 2005 (EST)
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