Re: [Usability]rhythmbox interface

[Jorn Baayen <jorn nl linux org>]

On Fri, 2002-11-22 at 19:37, Jeff Waugh wrote:
> <quote who="Jorn Baayen">
> 
> > > > 1. The interface changes when clicking a button in the sidebar, just
> > > > like Evolution. My opinion is that it sucks, badly. I tend to remember
> > > > where items are in the menus, and if they get messed up all the time, I
> > > > get confused.
> > > 
> > > Easy to fix -> don't do that. :-) I would love to see exactly the same
> > > tri-list interface when I'm using sublibraries (these should just be called
> > > playlists, but that word is muddied with your interface suggestions below).
> > 
> > Don't do that. How? There are some very view-specific UI bits:
> > - groups: delete/rename group
> > - library: view browser
> > - iradio: add station
> > - audiocd: eject disc
> > etc..
> 
> The tri-list may apply to these other views too, but I was mainly looking at
> the difference between the playlist and library views. Playlists are really
> just 'views' on the library, so the UI should be the same. Audio CD,
> Internet Radio, etc., are all rather different, so should have a different
> UI.

Yeah. And I'm just not sure whether having multiple different UIs, in
one single window, in one app is a good thing. 

> 
> > > I would suggest adding another 'link' to that section, noting the library
> > > that it's currently playing. When clicked, it would take you to the position
> > > in the list of the library that is currently being played - ie. the current
> > > track.
> > 
> > This is just a workaround for the problem
> 
> Yes.
> 
> > and it's not really clear either... A small bit of text saying "Jump to
> > current view", hrm, this means you have to actually read and cant tell
> > whats going on at a quick glance.
> 
> How about a little 'play' icon overlay on the playlist icon in the sidebar?
> The white border shows you which one you're browsing, the (green) play
> triangle icon shows you which one is being played.

Yeah, same thing as making the text bold (Which will probably the thing
to do if we stick with the sidebar, which I'll then replace with a plain
list)

> 
> > > Interesting problem, couldn't it be solved by adding a context menu? I think
> > > the track listbox needs one anyway.
> > > 
> > >   *Play* (default)
> > >   --
> > >   Add to playlist > Rock
> > >   --                Ha ha
> > >   Cut               --
> > >   Copy              New...
> > >   Paste
> > >   --
> > >   Delete
> > >   --
> > >   Properties
> > 
> > Primary functionality *never* should be only in a context menu,
> > surprisingly few people know about context menus. 
> 
> It's not - you can still drag music to the sidebar icons, and context-click
> the sidebar.

Yeah. A more directly obvious way would be nice though.

> 
> > > > 4. Users cannot specify what song to play after the current one.
> > > > Playlists are not enough here; if you are playing from the library, you
> > > > want to be able to say which song is to play next.
> > > 
> > > I've assumed, from the UI, that the third listbox defines that, unless
> > > you've turned on shuffle. If not, it should. ;-)
> > 
> > Yes, but that's only in a quick mockup.
> 
> (I was basing this on the real thing, not the mockups. The third box appears
> to be a list of tracks that would play in order. Covered in another email
> anyway.)

Ooh, you mean just the list of songs? Yeah, it defines the order of
play. But you cannot specify another song to play after it, of a
different artist for example.

> 
> > > > 2. A way to specify what song to play after the current one
> > > 
> > > Reorder the third list.
> > 
> > Yes, if we do that third list. But it's not a very good solution IMHO,
> > at least on my mockups, it looks rather complicated.
> 
> The third list that I'm referring to exists in the current UI, it's the list
> of tracks in the library.
> 
> My conclusion: I don't think you need to change much to fix the problems.

Working around problems wont require changing much, no. But I'd like to
properly fix things.

Cheers

> 
> - Jeff
> 
> -- 
>           "One World, one Web, one Browser." - Microsoft promotion          
>              "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer." - Adolf Hitler              
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