Different file handling behaviour of finished downloads
 

Some interesting behaviour came to my attention the other day.
I introduced my girlfriends dad to LimeWire a while ago. He's doesn't have much computer experience but he's eager to learn how to use it.
After a while I noticed that he treats the concept of files on the computer differently than a 'normal' users does. From his point of view, because he's downloading files with LimeWire, the files are located in the applications downloading window and not in the actual download folder specified in the program.
This results in the following behaviour:
- He downloads music files
- In his music folder he creates an artist folder of a specific song he downloaded
- When a file finished downloading he drags the file from the download window to the folder he just created
- From there he opens separate files in Winamp

When dragging files from the download window, the file gets copied to that location. This results in duplicate files.

He doesn't realy get the concept of files on a hard drive and the same files in play lists in applications. When you e.g. try to explain that the files in a play list, you created for him in iTunes, are actually located elsewhere he nods 'yes' but you notice he means '?? no, they are there'.
Because he's partially influenced already he does have some notion of files and folders. Hence his motivation to organise his files using folders for each artist.

All this raises some interesting discussion matterial. The whole concept of files and folders is stupid in a way when you think of it but all this is probably a bit out of the scope of LimeWire to begin with.

As an intermediate solution I would like to propose a change of behaviour. Instead of copying the files when they are dragged from the download window I think they should actually be moved (optional or not but at least default). This makes much more sence from a handling perspective.

From a sharing perspective it's a different ball game though. When the files are moved they won't be available for sharing anymore in the current situation. To overcome this problem a feature could be implemented to automatically let LimeWire handle the organisation of the files by placing the files in subfolders based on the users criteria:
- Organise all files in one download folder
- Organise files by artist subfolder
- Organise files by artist subfolder containing an album subfolder
With this, all subfolders can automatically be shared again and users won't have a need to move files after downloading.
Maybe even organising by media type could be an option (audio in 'My Music', movies in 'My Movies', pictures in 'My Pictures', etc.).
In stead of automatic folder creation you could also do it on a files basis. So each file which gets moved from the download window in LimeWire automatically gets shared from its new location. Automatically sharing the complete destination folder isn't realy an option since that folder might contain stuff you don't want to share.

The solutions just mentioned are just some quick thoughts and as said before just an intermediate solution of the real problem. I desided to mention it in the hope that you guys are interested in this matter as well.

Moving and Copying Files
 

Prodoc

You have put forward some interesting ideas, some of them impractical but interesting nonetheless.

You said:Copying and Moving is governed by the O/S you are using and if you want your app to work with windows then you have to follow it's rules. Therefore changing how "Copying and Moving" works is beyond the scope of Limewire and is strictly down to how MS wants the O/S to work.

Saying that, maybe if your showed your girlfriend's dad how to use "Cut & Paste (Move & Copy)" within Windows Explorer then he would not create unnecessary copies of his MP3 files.

You also said:This is a very good idea but it would go on to introduce an extra layer of complexity with the LW app and, as you look through the various postings, you will find that many, many people already find LW complex enough. And to be honest, although you, myself and other experienced users would use this facility I fear than many others would not, they would simply leave it unused.

On balance, I am in favour of additional extra facilities, such as auto sorting from the Incomplete folder to a predestined sub-folders of my choosing. However, I would imagine that the LW programmers would weigh up what is required now (urgent) as opposed to something that would be “nice to have” before writing and implementing something this big. And, unfortunately, your suggestion though good, in my book, would fall under "nice to have" category.



UK Bob

Just one thought here having to do with ease of use.

I use Azureus as well as Limewire When setting Azureus up the first time you get asked if you want the options to be beginner, intermediate or advanced and am told that these settings can be changed in the options at anytime.

If they set the options in Limewire like that as well then they could pretty much put anything in them

I would also find it much easier if limewire can notice a folder in a folder and add it automatically to the "add to library" option.