Re: [Rhythmbox-devel] rhythmbox interface

[Luca Ferretti <elle uca libero it>]

Il sab, 2002-11-23 alle 15:20, Jorn Baayen ha scritto: 
> > 
> > Sorry, as you can see this isn't a trouble for me, so I don't understand
> > well :-(
> 
> Well the idea is you can queue songs, so you can listen to music without
> having to worry about when the current song is ending ;)
> 
mmmhhh I begin to understand.... but, hey, it's something like "to be or
not to be" :-) Very difficult to implement, or, better, very difficult
to manage well (where well is:"after no one can see <<I like more a
different way...>>") 

I promise to activate my brain better later (play with wmp and ask about
itunes), now just brainstorming: 

Overview: 
        * rb is a '2 level' app: a player and a music source manager.
        * we need a way to "load" source (import files, open cd, rip
          track...)
        * we need a way to load from source to 'queue'
        * [actual design can load just one source to queue per time]
        * we need a simplicity in actions and coherence between
          different sources

We need to choose a basement, probably change some architectural
feature!!! Ad we can't fail!!!!! 

fork(); 
        1. keep actual design ('source based') and 'hide' queue features
        2. make queue feature well visible and make sources just a way
           to load queue

Case 1 explanation. 
    Just manage queue as advanced (and initially hidden) feature. We
    don't need to rethink all interface, so we can place an Edit->Queue
    (or View->Queue) and a rgclick->Add to Queue or whatever. If I want
    play a certain song, or an album or all song from an artist, or a CD
    track, or entire Group after current played I can choose "Add". 
    If I want manage queue I can choose "Edit". In "Queue dialog window"
    you can reorder, remove... 
    Just a trouble: dynamic queue or static queue? where dynamic is
    "once you played a song added to queue, delete song from queue",
    static don't delete. This is an important implementation question,
    IMHO. 
    
Case 2 explanation. 
    "Current queued songs" is the kernel, so we need to place it in main
    window and place "sources manager" in secondary windows. Question:
    what's happening on startup? Load last queue? Load all lib? Load
    nothing? Boh! 
    There is a better separation between playing feature and source
    feature: in "player" you have only planned songs and playing
    controls, in source manager you don't have player buttons, just
    manage ones. This can save interface changes too, probably. 
    
Better IMHO: 
    No idea. Personally I like current design. Case 2 remember me old
    xmms style, where you have to load a playlist before start
    playing and user must choose a source to play something...
    Besides case 1 has some playing non-coherence: load more then 1 song
    in queue when you have shuffle play, play/pause/stop related to
    queue or sources...
    
    Following Havoc free-software-ui.html we have to choose one, the
    better for all users. OK. guys, let's go!
    
Cheers