DOS used directories. Windows put a layer of UI onto that with Folders. Folders are very simple concept, and very easy to use. But when you have zillions of files for dozens of projects that are constantly changing, folders just ain't up to it IMHO.
Windows Explorer is a poor tool to use. OS X Finder is better - just. (Leopard was touted pre-beta-launch as including a new Finder, but we only got cosmetic improvements.) In WE, you cannot have anything but an alphanumeric order (so I have to cludge the order by prefixing the folder names with 'a' and 'aa' and 'aaa'. No colour of the folder or the text. No alternative fonts (bold, even) to allow you to differentiate. Finder allows a bit of this (colour, re-ordering in the sidebar).
In the olden days, I used to use different ways of ordering paper: different types of clips (bulldog, paperclip, treasury tags - those short pieces of narrow cord with metal T-end pieces - rubber bands. And I had different sizes and types of containers: box files. card folders, transparent sleeves and so on.
All different shapes and sizes and colours. Big bold descriptors on the front. Containers in containers. And I used all of these to categorise my work. I could find anything easily. A very usable system, with a great an flexible and instantly recognised and assimilated 'UI'.
On my PC desktop I have Folders. All look the same. All with same font. All the same colour (OK, some colour in Finder). All only in alpha order, no shifting them up and own. No tagging or marking. Unbelievably crude, poorly differentiated, unhelpful, clunky. (Yes, I have search (Spotlight, Desktop Search) but they take time.)
Why are we in this position?
Where is the Tweetdeck (which allows flexible categorisation of incoming Tweets) for Outlook? Where is the delicious-like metatagging for emails? Where are the metaphorical clips and containers on the desktop? Why can't you re-order folders in WE? Or colour them or use bold text to differentiate?
Where are the developers out there to write tools that will take us away from a state that hasn't - really - moved on since DOS?
