Sorry, I’m not going to do that. As I said earlier, I have seen many others try to explain why they need folder browsing each of the many times this has come up. In each case they were met with derision and condescension, as people patiently and patronisingly explained that what they wanted could already be easily done in Roon without folder browsing. And maybe it could. Of course, it would take lots of work to re-edit their metadata, add tags to several terabytes of music files and build playlists to replicate their folders. But of course that’s what they signed up for … lots of work. *
Really, it’s of no relevance to anyone but me why I would like folder browsing. I buy expensive software because it makes my life easier, not harder. Maybe if folder browsing was an option, I would eventually move over to the Roon system as I got used to it. Maybe not.
I’m not suggesting that Roon change its philosophy or build an alternative browser with flashing lights and an arrow saying “this way to the boring old world of folder browsing and plain lists of music like everyone else”. But if Focus allowed me to zoom in on a particular folder - and at a level that I have selected, not one that Roon generously allows me to look at - it would make life easier and I would be perfectly happy to use Roon exclusively, even if Tidal does disappear - despite the comforting assurances of Techradar.
- Edit: And as I wrote that, another example of exactly this phenomenon was posted: Browser local files to organize them in library playlists - really it's a thing. Someone gave a perfectly valid reason for requesting folder browsing. They were told that this could already be achieved in Roon in a complex process of many steps - ie doing lots of work - which frankly I could not follow.