Concep 0.5, mockup #1

[Thomas Lübking]

Am Tuesday 27 October 2009 schrieb Jakob Kummerow:
> Well, if there's an existing implementation that shows all of the
> "current song" info at once, and you propose a mockup for a new UI
>...
The existing implementation (widgetoid) isn't permanently in sight (or never) 
and -no offense- requires the contextview to be of variable width (large in 
doubt) or cuts off the info.
(Though the latter is just an implementation flaw of the widgetoid)

> Limits of screen space? The days of 15" CRTs that prefer 800x600
> ...
> And don't even mention smartphones now - /they/ have completely
> different requirements anyway.
No, I mention Netbooks and subnotebooks.
The former have just turned the market upside down and we're again facing 
1024x640

> I agree that hiding stuff makes for a cleaner appearance, and one
> might prefer that when looking at a mockup/screenshot.
No. Structured and clean UIs improve the users orientation when handling the 
app - "looking at mockups" rather refers to personal taste (iff any... ;-P )

> (The cleanest possible UI for a computer would be just a uniformly
> colored background, with maybe one large button on it that does
> "everything". 
So you know the Gnome3 leak* shots?

> But guess what? All of us choose to have several windows
> with hundreds of buttons, menus, icons on top of that, because it
Hundreds? Did you really count ;-P
Yes, there shall be what you need - but not more either. (Many of KDE's 
default toolbar setups are just a mess)

> improves our workflow.) So there must obviously be a compromise, and
> the point I'm trying to make is that I think your mockup hides too
> much stuff.
Assuming this is about the playlist actions:
I think we should run a usetest on them. My personal experience is that 
- I use the clear button regularily (and thus i've a second mockup that puts 
it into a carved out area on the top left (right) of the playlist (just like a 
close button on your WM)
- I've never used the undo/redo thing
- I've never saved a playlist (amarok has a great dbase support =)
- I used the layout config (except for debugging) pretty often in the 
beginning to find the preferred setup, then no more.

From what I read on some fores, ppl. would appreciate a fast shuffle mode 
access (what would imho belong into the sort arranger, i've comments on this 
as well, but spare them for the moment - though they should not be problematic 
at all)
 
> You're free to have your own, differing opinion; just be aware that I for 
one don't share it.
That's just fair and the good reason for at least some options ;-)
(Even the Bespin hack allowed you to turn off the animation)

> between 2% and 5%, which is OK, but I've seen 20% or even more on
> other days. Anyway, since it's mostly a background app, I want it to
> be lightweight.
Temporarily? Database updates?
 
> Go ahead then, submit a patch :-)
With pleasure, but might i kindly ask again for git push access (of reviwed 
patches of course) because patching, sending patches by mail and then running 
into a conflict with your own patch frankly sucks. :-(
(Maybe I'm just failing git, though - advice is appreciated)

> So just because it's bad already means we're free to make it a bit worse?
No, but asked to estimate and rank costs at least.

E.g. if i show up amarok X11 cpu usage rises to 30%, allthough due to the 
dbase bug thing there's NO visual update at all.
"Show paint" proves that the entire toolbar repaints instantly (and >> 1Hz, 
though the slider couldn't even reflect more)
In the regard of such errors, the minimal overhead of repainting some 
(clipped) frames every few seconds becomes really neglectable.
(If you wonder, i just did a repull, will check whether this persists and then 
look into at least this ;-)
 
> OTOH, it's not the X server's or kwin's CPU usage I was talking about,
> but Amarok's own.
No, top and friends would assign that to X11 then (except you're running the 
raster graphicssystem - which is however much more performant than the X11 sw 
solution)
 
Regards,
Thomas

*http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/GNOME