The Nintendo Switch and Modern Console UIs

[A Black Falcon]

Let me shorten this.

A grid is easier to use and manage than a one dimensional list.

Definitely. If you must have a one-dimensional list, though, have quick-switch buttons, this is why the X360 has the best one-dimensional list.

Cartridge games should be moved to a distinct menu, with a designated "whatever's in the game hole" button that just shows whatever game is plugged in,

This is a great idea, I wish consoles did this by default! But as far as I know none do... though with a customizable interface you could move them into 'digital' or 'physical' folders or locations, so it can be done if the system allows users to organize the display, as they should.

that itself can be sorted.

Sorted or organized, but yes. This brings up something I've thought about, though -- should a system which lets you drag the icons around, like the 3DS, Wii U, Vita, and such, also have sorting options? None of them do, but it'd be nice if they did...

In additional, folder management.

Definitely.

Yep, basically you're describing the singular truth that desktop style UIs are the best solution.

They are, yes. So how did Nintendo manage to make such terrible decisions with the Switch, though? From the DSi to the Wii U Nintendo had steadily improved their interfaces and had them in very good shape... until they completely abandoned all of that with the Switch, replacing it with a barely usable hybrid of the X1 and PS4 OSes' game lists (with the horizontal row of the PS4 on the main menu and the not-user-editable grid of the X1 in the 'all titles' list), with some elements of each but without any of the folder or sorting options that both of those systems have. It's mystifying.