Executable Text Files preference considered unhelpful

Current behavior

The Preferences dialog has a 3-way option to choose the behavior when activating (e.g. double-clicking, pressing Return) an executable text file (i.e., a text file with the executable bit set).

• Display them: This is the default. Executable text files behave as regular text files when activated (e.g. opens in Gedit).
• Run them: Activating executable text files runs them as a CLI program (but without any Terminal window). Note: the "Open with Other Application" option is still available in the context menu.
• Ask what to do: Activating executable text files pops up the following dialog:
  
  • Display corresponds to the "Display them" option.
  • Run corresponds to the "Run them" option.
  • Run in Terminal is only available through this dialog.

The preference is backed by the org.gnome.nautilus.preferences executable-text-activation GSettings key.

Problems

• By default, it appears to be a missing feature.
  • The file context menu offers no way to execute the script.
  • People don't know in advance a preference exists. See askubuntu page.
• The wording of the options is not clear if you don't know in advance what it does.
  • They used to be more verbose (see screenshots in the askubuntu page), but that's still bad.
• The option to always "Run them" is arguably unsafe.
• The ability to "Run in Terminal" when choosing "Ask what to to" is not mentioned in the preferences.

Proposal

Remove the option from the preferences and implement one of 2 alternatives:

Alternative 1

Default to always ask what to do. Also, improve the design of the dialog.

Advantages:

• Highest discoverability.
• Easy to implement.
• Possibility of keeping the GSettings key around as a hidden setting.

Disadvantages:

• Always asking with a dialog may be annoying.
• Design mockups for the dialog are missing.

Alternative 2

Keep current default, but add "Run as a Program" action to the context menu.

Advantages:

• Easiest to implement
• More discoverable than in the Preferences
• Double-click behavior is consistent (with non-executables and with current default)
• No need to ask: the Run action is chosen explicitly.

Disadvantages:

• For people who execute text files often, this may be more exhausting.
  • Maybe a keyboard shortcut could be provided to compensate for this?