[Shotwell] Shotwell Design Ideas

[Adam Dingle]

On 01/25/2011 11:52 PM, Andrew wrote:
>> thanks for the mockups - they look slick and there are some good ideas here.
>>
>> We're currently putting the finishing touches on Shotwell 0.8, and then
>> the Shotwell team will be on vacation for the holidays.  We're planning
>> to begin the design of Shotwell 0.9 during the first week of January.
>> At that time I think we should consider some of the visual changes
>> you're suggesting.  So we'd like to give you more feedback, but it might
>> not happen for a couple of weeks.  :)
> Hi again, just checking whether you guys were ready to discuss some of
> the ideas in the mockups yet?
>
> Thanks (and please CC me in any replies :] )

Andrew,

yes, thanks for your patience - we were on vacation for a while and are 
now busily planning Shotwell 0.9.  I just looked at your mockups again 
and here's my immediate feedback.

Regarding the main application window (http://i.imgur.com/3W94p.jpg):

- I really like the way you've grouped events and photos in your first 
four screenshots.  We'd like to implement that sort of grouping some 
time (see http://trac.yorba.org/ticket/222 and 
http://trac.yorba.org/ticket/2413), though I don't think that will 
happen in 0.9.  But we should keep your screenshots in mind when we do 
implement that in Shotwell 0.10 or whenever.

- You've added some subtle horizontal separators to the sidebar.  That's 
an interesting idea that we haven't considered before, and I think they 
look reasonable.

- You've changed the Basic Information pane (in the lower left) so that 
instead of displaying information with field names and colons ("Items: 
184 Photos", "From: Thu Dec 31, 2009") you simply use words instead 
("184 Photos, 12/31/09 until 1/15/10").  I like that look, though we 
also use the Basic Information pane to display information about each 
photo that the user has selected ("Title: IMG_0001.JPG", "Date: Wed Mar 
31, 2010") so we'd have to figure out how to display this information in 
this new format.  But, still, I think that might look nice.  I've 
ticketed this at http://trac.yorba.org/ticket/3133 .

- In full-window and full-screen view you're displaying a photo's basic 
information in a floating window over the image.  This might be 
reasonable as an option, though I think some users might not want to see 
this since it obscures part of the image.

- You've omitted the text labels on the toolbar buttons.  We're already 
considering doing this, if only to save horizontal space.

Regarding the publishing window (http://i.imgur.com/4FDZB.png):

- You've moved the list of services to the left side of the window.  I 
like this look and I think we should consider it.  I've ticketed this at 
http://trac.yorba.org/ticket/3134 .

Those are my thoughts.  Opinions from others on the mailing list are 
welcome too as always.  Cheers -

adam