Single click to open is great if what you want is to open the folder or file, but what do you use then when you want to select the folder or file without opening it? I've resorted to "vaguely dragging a square around the icon" (to select a group of icons containing just that single icon) on systems with single-click-to-open.
Historically, what you had was single click to select, then something else (usually the Enter key or similar) to open the selected item; this is consistent with for instance drop-down lists (where Enter activates the default button of the dialog box containing the drop-down). Double-click was just a shortcut to "select and then do the default action".
A sibling comment compared to smartphones, which use long-press to select; in my experience, both double-click and long-press can be hard for some people (for instance, I've seen people release the long-press a millisecond too early, causing it to do the single-press action instead of the long-click action).
You can just press CTRL and click the item. And on Plasma specifically, there's a box on the corner of the item with a '+' you can click which only selects the item.
Well, I don't have my desktop set up to use drop down menus, but as far as i remember, it is one click to do the action listed, not double click. Unless you mean older operating systems?
Yes, 'just'. Do you not always have at least one hand on the keyboard?
I'm not familar with Miller columns, but if you're changing the behaviour of your file browser, then I'm not sure why you're suprised single click might not work as intended.
No I don't. And I think that people who aren't developers have workflows where they use the mouse a ton and the keyboard less.
Miller columns have been one of the default views in OSX Finder for about two decades, opening and selecting at the same time is how they are supposed to work. Here's a demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ7trdpY9MI
I think miller columns was part of KDE file manager for some time, before they decided they were too complicated for developers.
I don't really understand where you would put your hand instead. In your lap? Why not have it on the keyboard?
Ok, I see what you mean by Miller columns now. I guess I wouldn't consider that image preview on ths side 'opened' though. 'Opened' to me would mean launching a dedicated image viewer with that file.
I mean, there's a reason why the default in most operating systems is a double click. Having to combine keyboard and mouse gestures is weird and hard to remember for most users.
When using miller columns in Finder, you will open a folder at the same time as you're selecting it. Files will only preview.
Well, that's why Plasma has that box I mentioned, so you can select without using the keyboard. But selecting multiple files requires you to press CTRL anyways, so I'm not sure why it why you think it would be weird to use CTRL for just one file.
Historically, what you had was single click to select, then something else (usually the Enter key or similar) to open the selected item; this is consistent with for instance drop-down lists (where Enter activates the default button of the dialog box containing the drop-down). Double-click was just a shortcut to "select and then do the default action".
A sibling comment compared to smartphones, which use long-press to select; in my experience, both double-click and long-press can be hard for some people (for instance, I've seen people release the long-press a millisecond too early, causing it to do the single-press action instead of the long-click action).