Future UI Discussion

[Casey Link]

On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 8:32 AM, Lee Olson <leetolson at gmail.com> wrote:
> Attached is another mockup with a few changes. I've noticed that there seems
> to be a lot of discussion over the mockups at kde-look:
>
> http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php/Amarok2+Look+and+Feel?content=93854
> http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php/A+Media+Player+for+KDE4?content=94472
>
> If there are particular ideas from those mockups that you would like to see
> integrated into my mockup, please let me know. Thanks!

Nice mockup! I'll try to keep this short.

* triangular Tabs
=> I don't really like these.. I think it adds squareness to the overall look

* toolbar buttons (play/pause)
= > I like them separate, and how the more important ones are larger,
but could they all be scaled up a bit? They all seem sort of small and
out of the way.

* The tool bar in general
=> There still seems to be so much unutilized space at the top. One of
the things I liked about one of the Kde-look mockups was the fact that
the space was fully utilized. Possible solutions: make buttons larger
(previous point), volume bar bigger, add a visualizer, make the now
playing information more akin to the applet (cover, rating, etc)

* Horizontal spacer between  the toolbar and main content views..
=> A little too tall imho

* CV & playlist controls
=> Like Nikolaj said, I think they would look better if they had the
same background ( I like that dark transparent bg)

* Service Emblem in playlist
=> I like how you've moved it so it doesn't block the art, but how
would it look on a single ungrouped track.. it seems where it _would_
go, the length is there instead

*Compacted query bar in Collection browser
=> I like! It saves space and makes the grouping options more clear..

* More whiteness everywhere
=> I'm digging it! But with the light blue highlight it sorta looks
weird, maybe a darker blue? Maybe i'm crazy

* The Context View's toolbar's buttons (The +, - , zoom and arrows)
=> I know those aren't new, but I really think they look tacky and not
integrated into the over all look. For example, they have wierd glassy
highlights, much more glossy then our other icons.

One final thing..
One thing i really liked from this mockup: http://is.gd/bmNU Is the
gray bar that says "Now playing", "Media Info", "Collection", etc.
While I don't like what it does.. I think that idea would be cool for
a "taskbar" of sorts for the CV that displays the different applets.
Could you work something like that into the CV toolbar in your mockup?


Many thanks, and great job so far.

Casey