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Idea #17780: Firefox "Open With" Dialog Box Need To List Installed Applications

bug This idea is a duplicate of Idea #4755: Firefox/Mozilla: Synchronize "Open With" with Menu.
Written by diablo75 the 31 Jan 09 at 20:36. Related project: Firefox. Status: New
Rationale
Lets say I'm visiting a streaming radio website that uses *.pls (Shoutcast MP3 Playlist files) in their links to listen to a radio station. When I click on it, I'm presented with Firefox's "Open With" box, which offers me the option of opening the file with a default application (in this case it would likely show "Movie Player"), or I can save the *.pls file instead of open it.

The problem comes if you want to open said file with something other than the application it shows as the default. If I click on "Movie Player", I'm not presented with a list of other installed applications to pick from. The only other option I'm given is the word "Other..."

When you click on other, it still does not show you a list of installed applications. It shows you (drum roll please) the root file system.

In my opinion, this is not attractive to new users and even moderate linux user who are somewhat familiar with Linux. It strikes me as an inconvenience, especially when compared to commercial operating systems.
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-31
votes
closed
Solution #2: Change the file system - keep every app in one folder
Written by Biornus the 1 Feb 09 at 10:10.
It the same as the OSX way, you keep every program in one folder, or atleast a shortcut, it would then be easy to find apps with "Other" in Firefox.

Just as a sidenote, all the files for each application would probably have to be spread around the file system, but either when you delete the shortcut or if you remove it through Synaptic or Add/Remove, Ubuntu remembers to delete all the files who is not gonna be needed anymore.
-6
votes
closed
Solution #3: Create a virtual folder with all apps
Written by twocool the 8 Feb 09 at 15:47.
If there was a a virtual folder (or even a virtual FUSE filesystem) with all applications it would not only solve the problem in firefox but in every application with the same problem. As an added bonus it could improve the overall usability of Ubuntu.
0
votes
closed
Solution #4: Repost of the now missing Solution 1: Show apps, not the root filesystem
Written by diablo75 the 14 Feb 09 at 13:32.
When you click on the button containing the default application, clicking "Other..." should bring up a new window that just shows applications by name with their icons, and nothing more. No file system to browse (but you could put a browse button in there of course). Nothing "linux only" looking. Something user friendly that a 5 year old could figure out (which I think should be a rule of thumb when it comes to designing graphical interfaces).

This seems like it would be simple enough to me. It's just about the same as Nautilus' "Open With" tab, which lets you pick from a list of available applications as well as type in a custom command if you wish to. It seems kind of...strange to have to tell new users previewing Ubuntu that they have to browse through a filesystem that is probably completely foreign to them, if not scary to look at.

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jeypeyy wrote on the 7 Feb 09 at 20:21
About solution 2: changing the filesystem itself is a bad idea. Many programs are dependent on the unix-alike file system and very many linux-users are used to this filesystem. Though it would be a better idea having a mode in nautilus that uses pointers to emulate a more human file system. Kind of like the gobolinux file system, but only like a plugin for nautilus.

danielrmt wrote on the 8 Feb 09 at 15:42
Solution 1: +1
Solution 2: Most applications already are already on the same folder: /usr/bin


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