[Panel-devel] The ALI: do we really need or want it?

[Friedrich W. H. Kossebau]

[Resent, as the first did not seem to make it to the list]

Hi,

Am Sonntag, 8. Januar 2006 12:16, schrieb Janne Ojaniemi:
> On Saturday 07 January 2006 22:08, Brian Beck wrote:
> > I'm sorry I still don't understand, if this new system is going to work
> > like
> >
> > 1. select songs
> > 2. juk opens
> >
> > I prefer todays
> >
> > 1. juk opens
> > 2. select songs
>
> It doesn't quite work that way in reality. In first case, you locate the
> content you want to use, and be done with it. 

But before that you 
0. locate the app where you can locate and select the songs ;)

> In the second case, you first 
> locate the app you want to use, and then you use that app to locate the
> content you want to use. First case only has one step (access the content),
> while the seconds case has two steps (access the app, and then use it to
> access the content). And in any case: the second case relies on the user to
> know what each app does, and IMO, he should not care what each app does. He
> does know what his content is, however.

Do not forget that in the presentation of some content there is always a 
program involved. Content does not appear by itself on the screen :)

The trick is to make the program disappear so one feels to deal with the 
content (via some program) rather than to deal with a program. This could be 
done by a close integration of all the programs and by showing off the 
content/actions one will see instead of the handler (cmp. URL icons on the 
desktop or kicker, showing a location, not Konqueror). 
So what is centric results of with what concepts one interacts.

So take the all-content browser/handler (konqueror) and a special-content 
browser/handler (for music e.g. amarok). You want to listen to some music. 
Either a) you just came across some music files in your all-content browser 
or b) just had the need for some acustics by itself. 
For a) you want to set the command "Take these music files and add them to the 
playlist of my virtual jukebox" which would add them to your registered 
jukebox by some installed script in the background. This is different from 
"Look if the registered program is running, start it if is not already 
running and send the command to play this files next". In the first you do 
not think of programs, and, be honest, you also do not want to.
For b) you want to "turn to your music files". Where are your music files? In 
your music browser/handler, of course. Or are they behind the music files 
icon which is located on your desktop? Do you really care that clicking on 
this icon starts the registered music browser/handler? All you care for is 
that you get access to that content. And you do. Without thinking about the 
concept of programs. See yourself: Look at the desktop background. Is it a 
program? Technically, it is. But in your perception it is a place to put 
files etc. at. :)

So if there were mimetypes and/or rather urls/uris for all my music files, all 
my emails, $your_special_content_or_subset_of, etc. you could register your 
favourite handler/browser program like you do now for other things. Then put 
a link to that content somewhere, have it display the content type, but 
starting the registered program if clicked. 
Have a close look and discover the pattern yourself :)

Regards
Friedrich
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