Center View and Music store integration

[Nikolaj Hald Nielsen]

> Now that the context browser is in the center and always visible it might be
> a opportunity to rethink it's concept.
> This is related to music stores because I don't think the current tree view
> browser will scale when music stores get a bigger catalog. Consider a music
> store that has a web-like interface, it's easier to browse, looks better,
> albumart, browsing through a catalog based on related artists, genres,
> recommendations, etc.
> To implement a store like that we need screen real estate. The only place I
> can think of that we have that is in the center pane.


I have to strongly disagre with moving the music store into the center
view at this time, for several reasons:

1. The one store that we have at this time (Magnatnue.com) works
conceptually very much like a browser. The preview tracks can be added
to a playlist in the same way content from any other browser can.
There is no real reason to change this store significantly at this
time, especially since the site itself does not offer any
significantly different ways of browsing their content.

2. I agree that a store with a significantly larger catalog will need
additional features for searching and limiting what is displayed in a
tree view, but this is not something that has been explored at all in
the current implementation. Magnatune is adding albums on a monthly
basis, so this is something that needs to be taken into account soon
anyway. Removing the default "All" genre and only showing artists from
one actual genre at a time would be a good first step I think.

3. I think this is my primary objection. There are no concrete plans
for collaborating with other stores at this time. While I am not
against this at all, I do think it is very dangerous to think up a new
glorified way of handling shops when we know nothing about the
features, needs, interface, metadata availability and content handling
of any future stores. I am very open to having this discussion again
when we know more about what (if any) stores actually wish to
integrate into Amarok and what features they offer.

4. In many cases I think the center pane can be used to argument a
store if they are shown at the same time. Looking up wikipedia data of
the artist selected in the Magnatune store as an addition to the
stores own description springs to mind.

All for now, I need to get back to work! :-)

- Nikolaj