# Which file display settings? do you use? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153 "2003-06-11T17:15:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/1 "2003-06-11T17:15:38Z")
Which file display settings do you use in Windows? (Mac and Linux users are eligible to play, too 🙂 ) I always use List Details for all folders. I like to see the date/time stamp and the file size along with the filename itself. I also like to see the files’ extensions displayed. While I can identify most files by their icons the filename looks incomplete if I don’t also see its extension. Having the files in a list makes it easier to sort them in different ways if necessary (e.g. by date/time, size, etc., though by default I list them by filename) and I can easily select a block to cut/copy/delete at once. The full-size icons setup is difficult for selecting a group of files at once. Plus, when clicking on full-size icons I tend to end up doing something that creates copies of all the files I selected in the same folder (grrrr :mad: ). For folders I like the full path to be displayed in the title bar. Again, it looks incomplete seeing just that folder’s name displayed. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/2 "2003-06-11T19:07:26Z")
Details. Anything else is a waste of space. I will use Thumbnails for a directory full of pictures, but that’s the only exception. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/3 "2003-06-11T19:22:33Z")
I use list as my default setting. The details view bothers me immensely when I’m trying to search for something because it causes me to scroll to find the desired file/directory. If I need more info, I just switch to details view. Details and List are the only views I use. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/4 "2003-06-11T21:44:51Z")
Details, don’t hide system files, don’t hide extensions of known file types - typical computer-geek-friendly settings. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/5 "2003-06-11T22:56:02Z")
In Windows, I use the list view, arranged by type, because the details view takes up too much space with fairly worthless info (nothing the status bar or properties sheet couldn’t tell me). I have all directories open with the “Explore” command by default so the directory tree is always docked to the left, and that silly “web views” thing is off. I have a minimal toolbar icon set, with just back, forward, up, refresh, search, and the folder view with the address bar on the same line. I have the complete path in the address bar, but the “friendly” name in the title bar because it makes multiple folders much easier to keep track of on the taskbar. I use Lucida Sans Typewriter for the icon font because it’s much easier to read than MS Sans Serif or Tahoma, especially when Is or ls are involved. System files and extensions are shown. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/6 "2003-06-12T00:36:02Z")
Text view in Konqueror. We don’t need no steeking icons. ---
**Author:** ![firagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/13edae/32.png) [@firagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/firagon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/7 "2003-06-12T07:18:12Z")
Details, file extensions, don’t hide any files, for the reasons listed above. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/8 "2003-06-12T07:35:38Z")
Details, everything. ---
**Author:** ![Calladair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Calladair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calladair)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-file-display-settings-do-you-use/181153/9 "2003-06-12T09:45:09Z")
Details, show all, for everything except pictures (thumbs) and control panel (icons).