[Feedback] Playlist redesign

[Ian Monroe]

On 5/17/07, n1 at dwm.cc <n1 at dwm.cc> wrote:
> David Martin sent a message using the contact form at
> http://amarok.kde.org/en/contact.
>
> One of your users pointed out a GTK application that looks similar to your
> proposed playlist:
>
> http://amarok.kde.org/wiki/Image:Justplaylist.png
> vs
> http://flickr.com/photos/dontodd/176983938
>
> I use Amaork is because it is able to manage thousands of files. Linear
> playlists like XMMS/Winamp simply don't scale as well. I feel like Winamp's
> developers knew this, and were trapped between trying to preserve their old
> playlist UI/themes while trying to provide advanced search features. It
> seems like a bad idea to revert to a design like "Listen" which appears
> based on Winamp's Media Library "hack":
>
> http://img116.imageshack.us/my.php?image=winampwb9.gif
> vs
> http://blog.inelegant.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/listen.png
>
> I know your playlist would still have the search bar, but I just don't see
> how this is an improvement. I also don't want to see it become cluttered
> like Winamp or "Listen".  You tried making other changes in a previous
> beta, and users were quite vocal because they /like/ the current UI. Please
> consider this and gather additional feedback before making substantial UI
> changes.
>
> Thanks for everything you've done so far in making Amarok such a great
> player. I know you want it to be the best possible, and I'm sure it will be
> in the end.

Your message makes no sense, it seems full of half-thoughts. You don't
like linear playlists like "XMMS/Winamp" which is exactly what Amarok
currently has, but you caution us from changing anything. The planned
playlist is designed to be optimal for dynamic playlists in fact.

We will be seeking user feedback of course. Its kind of hard though,
since users don't like change only because it is change (which is
valid to some extent, its bad to change things up frequently, I don't
think we do). So you have to sort through the knee-jerk conservative
comments to find legit criticism.

Ian