From the same file system, drag & drop moves file(s). But from a different file system, doing the same action does copy: doing the same action can produce two different result. This is very confusing for users who are not aware of file system.
I would very much like a Finder preference setting to make Finder drag & drop *always* copy files, and hold Option key to move.
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7)
No chance it's always the same behavior! In my eyes it's very usefull. Otherwise data from a server or and external drive would be deleted if somebody would just move the file to it's desktop.
> Otherwise data from a server or and external drive would be deleted
Not really. The option I ask for would leave this behavior the same: drag from server to desktop still copy, not move. It's this way now so it's good. No change. I want to have the option to work like this (copying) at all time, even when dragging from the same file system, like dragging from "Pictures" to "Documents". Right now, the files are moved. I want to default to copy. If you want to move, hold down the Option key. This way, dragging files is consistent at all time: always copy. Not sometime copy, sometime move, depending on if files are from the same file system or not.
Now I understand your problem. But why should a document be copyed when I move it from the Downloads to the Desktop? Most actions within the userfolder are moving actions, and no copy-actions.
I think most people would mess up with their hard drive space if this would become a default behavior.
But: Within Finder you can't change that behavior. But maybe something like Path Finder etc could do what you want.
Finder file drag & drop behavior is inconsistent/confusing
