The P8 GUI, all of it, not just the library, is completely new code. So the answer to why you can't just choose the old interface is because it is gone.

So, why wasn't the new interface built with the old tiled listing, you ask? Simple - not enough manpower/time to do all the variations. The new library style solves many problems and creates new ones. That is the nature of GUI design.

There are only so many ways to present a hierarchical file/folder data structure. There are trees and lists. Lists can be vertical, horizontal, or tiling in 2D. Trees are intrinsically vertical only, but have many benefits over lists. The chief benefit is that you don't have to go up up up over down down down to get to something, especially just to switch from one runtime to another. You can see all levels of the hierarchy at once, and you can choose which to reveal and which to hide. The downside is that if you have a lot of horizontal real estate, the tree fails to use it. We know that - it's not news.

We (SM and I) plan to do additional view options. Among them will be a hybrid tree + tiled list, much like you see in the other library add-ons above. This should satisfy those who have an extra monitor and wish to efficiently devote a good chunk of 2D space to the item list.

 

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Renderosity forum reply notifications are wonky. If I read a follow-up in a thread, but I don't myself reply, then notifications no longer happen AT ALL on that thread. So if I seem to be ignoring a question, that's why. (Updated September 23, 2019)