[chromium-discuss] Why does the file manager just plain suck?

[Ryan Crognale]

Sorry, but it's true. Right of the back, the only place you can create new
folders is under Downloads? Something that's meant for temporary use, that
if storage gets filled, files from there will get deleted. That makes no
sense.

I search in forums and even talk to a support rep, and the stock answer is
they want you to use google drive. Well that's just dumb. If that was their
intent, why would I need a device with 128gb or 256gb of storage? And then
gimp how I can use it to boot. Why create something new, from scratch for
the most part and make it so less useful than windows and even their own
android? Why limit how I can work on the device? Why change my normal
workflow that's worked for me for many many years? The living in the cloud
answer is a bit old and moot with big gig chromebooks, and mainly the Pixel
that's been out for a year now. Yet this is still the way things are done.

But.... I can download an android file manager. My preference is ES File
Explorer. Then you navigate to the root storage folder. In ES the icon is a
small SD card and it's labeled "0". Click on it and you'll see the main
chrome folders you see in file manager plus any folders your android apps
created upon installation like sample folders, default save folders and
such.

From there you can create folders. Then you can go back into the stock file
explorer, go to the three dots and click. Then select "Show all Play
Folders" . Now go and click on Play Files and your folders will show up.

It's very convoluted and dumb. Makes no sense to force those files to be
two sections in. No ability to pin a folder so it's higher up on the branch
to make access easier. It's archaic, not user friendly and just plain dumb.
Lets's have all the functionality there, but no way to fully use it unless
you use a third party file manager. And then it's all bured two branches in
so it's not convenient once you have it working.

Why is the file manager so gimped? You came out with a big gig Pixelbook.
It's been a year. Now you have every manufacturer coming out with big gig
chrome devices and yet you don't allow them to fully make use of the
storage, and what use you do give can only be accomplished via a third
party file manager.

This is 2018. A fully functioning file system should be basic 101. This
isn't IOS.