[laumars]

One of the biggest regressions in modern browsers is how they all automatically download to the Downloads folder. I really miss the dialogue you used to get where you’d get asked where you’d want to save the file (im aware you still get that if you right click and go “save as” but that’s not always possible with some sites).

[janci]

You can disable auto download in settings of Chrome, Firefox and many other browsers. You get the Save dialog then.

On the other hand, I like that all stuff goes to Downloads and you can handle it with your favourite file manager that is much better than zhe default save dialog.

[laumars]

> On the other hand, I like that all stuff goes to Downloads and you can handle it with your favourite file manager that is much better than zhe default save dialog.

You still get to handle it with a file manager with the dialog, only with the added bonus that you don't have to manually launch it, navigate to where it's been auto-downloaded to, then cut and paste it to where you actually wanted it.

[wtmt]

As others have said, this can be configured in all popular browsers to ask for the download location. Also, if you use macOS, there’s a paid application called Default Folder X [1] that allows you to set default folders for different applications and dialogs (open/save) and also has shortcuts to get to different folders.

[1]: https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX

[h1d]

I have no need to specify it for every download. I can move them when it's done and I won't lose where my download had gone to that way. Definitely not a regression.

[inapis]

FF, Safari and chrome all have that option. Dig in the settings.

[leetcrew]

maybe it's just because it works well with my downloading "workflow", but I find it a reasonable default.

most of the files I download are installers that will soon be out of date or blank forms that I need to fill out and return once. the rare important file will be quickly moved to a permanent location. everything else gets deleted once every month or so, and it's convenient for these ephemeral files to all be in one place.

[laumars]

My workflow could probably be described as the exact opposite of that. Nearly everything that gets downloaded needs to be archived off somewhere and might be called upon again months later.

Being a Linux user, the closest thing I have to downloading installers is either user repositories (which are handled by the package manager) or version controlled (typically git). So browser downloads is only generally stuff that matters.

[kakarot]

It's not a regression. It's a more sensible default which makes the general user happy, but the power user can have more control if they wish.

[laumars]

You'd be amazed at just how often I've seen people question where stuff gets downloaded to - or even if it had downloaded - with the current defaults. It's not actually that clear to most "general users" what's happening nor where the files go (though Chrome UI is a little better than Firefox in that regard).

I'm not saying there shouldn't be a Downloads folder nor that it shouldn't be the default location. I'm just saying having download there without a prompt is a step backwards in my personal opinion.

[kakarot]

It's not Mozilla's fault that there are people out there who never bother to learn their computer well enough to understand what the "Downloads" folder is. It's a ubiquitous archetype found in every OS both desktop and mobile.

What's the point in setting standards if you don't use them?

[laumars]

You do realise the people you're criticizing are actually the vast majority of people who own a computer? The arrogance demonstrated on HN sometimes just shows that some people in tech are completely detached from how normal people interact with a computer.

> What's the point in setting standards if you don't use them?

Just to be clear, you're talking about a de facto standard and nothing more. Also there's nothing stating people have to follow standards (particularly given how many standards are out there which contradict each other) let alone the de facto ones.

[kakarot]

I didn't criticize anyone. It's a simple fact that most people don't take the time to sit down and understand the systems they use. I don't understand how recognizing that makes me arrogant. Recognizing there is a disconnect is the first step towards creating better systems and educational material for those systems.

> Just to be clear, you're talking about a de facto standard and nothing more.

It doesn't get much more standard than a "Downloads" folder in your user directory. It doesn't need to be an ISO standard to be recognized as a standard that everyone should learn.

Honestly you're the one being arrogant and assumptive right now. Accessibility is very important to me, and I'm not simply disregarding the vast majority of users. What's better, one ten-second educational widget for a user which teachers them to better understand the system they use, or a prompt each and every time you want to download something?

Prompts scare people, a lot of people never even read them. I've seen people download things, go through the download folder prompt, and then immediately ask me where the file was saved to.

[laumars]

> I didn't criticize anyone.

> Accessibility is very important to me, and I'm not simply disregarding the vast majority of users.

Fair enough. The language you used did feel like it was intended to be a criticism (re "It's not Mozilla's fault that there are people out there who never bother to learn their computer") because the common complaint techies seem to make about people who are less computer literate is that they hadn't bothered to learn it (an argument you maintained in your last post too). When in fact it's often a case that they have tried but simply don't understand where to start, or they're not naturally used to that kind of activity (much like how I'm useless at writing songs regardless of how hard I used to try). And some people are just intimidated by computers so always second guess themselves even when they probably do know what they're doing.

> Recognizing there is a disconnect is the first step towards creating better systems and educational material for those systems.

At risk of degrading the discussion, technically I was the one who highlighted the problem in the context of creating better systems. You then went on to say it's not system’s (Mozilla’s) fault.

> What's better, one ten-second educational widget for a user which teachers them to better understand the system they use, or a prompt each and every time you want to download something?

That's an interesting question. The truthful answer is I don't know. I've worked with people who only needed to be shown something once and they picked it up straight away; but I've also worked with people who have no ability to remember how to operate a computer or were intimidated by it so would second guess themselves constantly and thus they needed the machine to walk them through each step of the process each and every time. I'm an unofficial tech support for my elderly neighbours (which is unfortunate for all parties involved because I don't use any of the platforms they run so spend most of my time making educated guesses) and they also benefit from repeated instructions.

[Flockster]

That is no problem in Firefox to my understanding. Set in the options to always ask where to save the file.

[jayjader]

In Firefox there is a setting to _always_ prompt the user for the location to save the file.