#The problems

##Hierarchies are not obvious First let me point out that a hierarchy is not the most obvious or best structure for storing files. It is still based on library categorization systems, where a book can be in only one place. I file could be indexed in more than one place (and sometimes is).

A tag system as used on this-site, gmail and elsewhere, that allows you to give multiple tags to a file, is better. E.g Tag something as education, computers, file-systems, cats, boxes.

##Microsoft's Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS hide things

Of the big four major proprietary Operating Systems (Windows, OS X, Android, iOS), Microsoft's Windows hides the directory structure the least. Apple is probably the big villain here. They made an active decision starting with the iPod and iTunes that directories needed to be hidden, and the world has been moving that way ever since.

What I say in this section applies generally to all 4, but I have given specific example for Microsoft's Windows.

MS-Windows has some strange non-folder folders (Desktop, Documents, Videos, Music), sort of like symbolic links but not. This causes problems of understanding. For example, I have used a tool and known that it has saved to Images, but have taken over 10 minutes to retrieve the file, as I did not know where on the file-system it was.

Recent versions of MS-Windows have dropped the ⬆ up arrow (I think they then brought it back again), in file explorer. It only has ⬅ ➡ left and right arrows. This makes it difficult to navigate and experience the hierarchy.

Recent versions of MS-Windows, by default hide file extensions. This may not affect understanding of hierarchy but dose affect understanding of file names. (While I agree that file extensions to encode file type are a bad idea, hiding them under the carpet is just making it worse.)

#Some solutions

##If using Microsoft's Windows

• Disable hide file extensions
• Install classic start menu, it will enable ⬆ up arrow for folder navigation.
• Do something about these Libraries (non-folder folders): In my Virtual Machine with Windows-7, I have disabled all of the libraries.

##Learn the file-system and operating system. I would teach the Unix command line (UNIX, Gnu/Linux, BSD). It does makes it easier to see how things work. Nothing is hidden, but things are often nicely abstracted. “It is so simple that, if you come up with a metaphor to explain how it works, it probably is how it works.” — miss-quoted from one of the founders of Unix (Thomas, Ritche or other).

I would also recommend using the dolphin file browser. Dolphin has an integrated command line, where directory changes are synchronised in both directions. This makes it easier to switch back and forth between text (command line) and graphical view and/or controller.

You are currently in your home directory. Type cd «somedir» and press enter.

See the change in the Graphical part of the display.

Gnu/Linux with KDE, has a great GUI, and command line. Intuitive, simple, and follows the principle of least surprise.

Gnu/Linux is more available (When compared to some other OSs e.g. MacOS, Microsoft's Windows)  : You have the freedom to download it. Run it. Distribute it. Study it. Modify it.

The problems

Hierarchies are not obvious

First let me point out that a hierarchy is not the most obvious or best structure for storing files. It is still based on library categorization systems, where a book can be in only one place. I file could be indexed in more than one place (and sometimes is).

A tag system as used on this-site, Gmail and elsewhere, that allows you to give multiple tags to a file, is better. E.g Tag something as education, computers, filesystems, cats, boxes.

Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS hide things

Of the big four major proprietary Operating Systems (Windows, OS X, Android, iOS), Microsoft Windows hides the directory structure the least. Apple is probably the biggest villain here. They made an active decision starting with the iPod and iTunes that directories needed to be hidden, and the world has been moving that way ever since.

What I say in this section applies generally to all 4, but I have given specific example for Microsoft Windows.

MS-Windows has some strange non-folder folders (Desktop, Documents, Videos, Music), sort of like symbolic links but not. This causes problems of understanding. For example, I used a tool and known that it has saved to Images, but took over 10 minutes to retrieve the file, as I did not know where on the filesystem it was.

Recent versions of MS-Windows have dropped the ⬆ up arrow (they then brought it back again), in file explorer. It only has ⬅ ➡ left and right arrows. This makes it difficult to navigate and experience the hierarchy.

Recent versions of MS-Windows, by default hide file extensions. This may not affect understanding of hierarchy but does affect understanding of file names. (While I agree that using file extensions to encode file type is a bad idea, hiding them under the carpet is just making it worse.)

Some solutions

If using Microsoft Windows

• Disable hide file extensions
• Do something about these Libraries (non-folder folders): In my virtual machine with Windows 7, I have disabled all of the libraries.

Learn the filesystem and the operating system

I would teach the Unix command line (UNIX, GNU/Linux, BSD). It does makes it easier to see how things work. Nothing is hidden, but things are often nicely abstracted. “It is so simple that, if you come up with a metaphor to explain how it works, it probably is how it works.” — miss-quoted from one of the founders of Unix (Thomas, Ritche or other).

I would also recommend using the dolphin file browser. Dolphin has an integrated command line, where directory changes are synchronized in both directions. This makes it easier to switch back and forth between text (command line) and graphical view and/or controller.

You are currently in your home directory. Type cd «somedir» and press Enter.

See the change in the graphical part of the display.

GNU/Linux with KDE, has a great GUI, and command line. Intuitive, simple, and follows the principle of least surprise.

GNU/Linux is more available (When compared to some other OSs e.g. macOS, Microsoft Windows): You have the freedom to download it. Run it. Distribute it. Study it. Modify it.

##Microsoft's Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS hide things  (What I say in this section applies generally to all 4, but I have given specific example for Microsoft's Windows).

##Microsoft's Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS hide things

Of the big four major proprietary Operating Systems (Windows, OS X, Android, iOS), Microsoft's Windows hides the directory structure the least. Apple is probably the big villain here. They made an active decision starting with the iPod and iTunes that directories needed to be hidden, and the world has been moving that way ever since.

What I say in this section applies generally to all 4, but I have given specific example for Microsoft's Windows.

MS-Windows has some strange non-folder folders (Desktop, Documents, Videos, Music), sort of like symbolic links but not. I have used a tool and known that it has saved to Images, but taken over 10 minutes to retrieve the file, as I did not know where on the file-system it was.

• Disable hide file extensions
• Install classic start menu, in this enable ⬆ up arrow for folder navigation.
• Do something about these Libraries (non-folder folders): I just looked at my own Virtual Machine with Windows-7. I have disabled all of the libraries.

##Learn the file-system and operating system. I would teach the Unix command line (UNIX, Gnu/Linux, BSD). It does makes it easier to see how things work. Nothing is hidden, but things are often nicely abstracted. “It is so simple that, if you come up with a metaphor to explain how it works, it probably is how it works.” — miss quoted from one of the funders of Unix (Thomas, Ritche or other).

You are currently in your home directory. Type cd somedir and press enter.

Now type cd somesubdir

See the change.

Gnu/Linux with Kde, has a great GUI, and command line. Equally intuitive, but, is simpler, and follows the principle of least surprise.

Gnu/Linux is more available: You have the freedom to download it. Run it. Distribute it. Study it. Modify it.

MS-Windows has some strange non-folder folders (Desktop, Documents, Videos, Music), sort of like symbolic links but not. This causes problems of understanding. For example, I have used a tool and known that it has saved to Images, but have taken over 10 minutes to retrieve the file, as I did not know where on the file-system it was.

• Disable hide file extensions
• Install classic start menu, it will enable ⬆ up arrow for folder navigation.
• Do something about these Libraries (non-folder folders): In my Virtual Machine with Windows-7, I have disabled all of the libraries.

##Learn the file-system and operating system. I would teach the Unix command line (UNIX, Gnu/Linux, BSD). It does makes it easier to see how things work. Nothing is hidden, but things are often nicely abstracted. “It is so simple that, if you come up with a metaphor to explain how it works, it probably is how it works.” — miss-quoted from one of the founders of Unix (Thomas, Ritche or other).

You are currently in your home directory. Type cd «somedir» and press enter.

Click on a directory

See the change, in both GUI and command line

Gnu/Linux with KDE, has a great GUI, and command line. Intuitive, simple, and follows the principle of least surprise.

Gnu/Linux is more available (When compared to some other OSs e.g. MacOS, Microsoft's Windows) : You have the freedom to download it. Run it. Distribute it. Study it. Modify it.