answer:Have you tried PathFinder? My memory of finder foo is that you open the window, make it look the way you want, and close it right away, and it will stay that way. The only consistent view you can get is column view. Otherwise, I think you're out of luck. If you take the PathFinder route, open the PathFinder preferences, and select the "Browser" pane. The first option should let you set what folder is the default, and right under that, you can select the view. PathFinder will be consistent henceforth, and give you the behavior you want.