[Rhythmbox-devel] Resuming a week of hard mochuping

[Luca Ferretti <elle uca libero it>]

An hard task, but someone should be do it :-)

(big shot: HIG chapter 6! Read it!)

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We are all OK for: 
     1. use [Prev] [Play/Pause] [Next] buttons in top left corner
     2. use lists for source selector and viewer 
     3. use checkboxes fos Shuffle Repeat

HIG notes: 
     1. we should label all buttons providing access key and "do not use
        more than one or two different widths of button in the same
        window, and make all of them the same height" :-| 
     2. don't use column header in source selector 'cause it't a single
        column list: I try it in glade and it's very ugly :-( 
     3. we should provide access key (BTW: HIG should suggest to use
        tooglebuttons in toolbars as radiobuttons in dialogs, so checks
        are better)

Personal notes:
     1. real devices, iTunes and WMP use a little bigger play button!
     2. better break HIG, using header in lists, 'cause this guideline
        seems a dialog only one.
     3. <none>
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A lot of us like: 
     1. put is statusbar a label showing status and 2 checkbox for
        shuffle repeat

HIG notes: 
     1. statusbar seems a strange place for checks, but both are playing
        status, so it isn't conceptually wrong

Personal notes:
     1. The best is label on left, checks on right, so we can use the
        label to show menu item's tooltips
         ___________________________________________________________
        | 45 songs, 34:23 total                  []Shuffle []Repeat |

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(Re)usable pieces (IMHO)

--> Current song info area 
        I think this is the main item in top area: we have to choose it,
        then fit other items. We have two info area: the "flat" and the
        "bevel" one (see legoland.tar.bz2). [A little note: jorn's d.png
        file use "flat", but there is a little 'trick'. Increasing font
        size this area will become higher then buttons, adding free
        space on top and bottom --> see flat-style in mp-summary.glade
        to resolve it]. 
        I like the "bevel" one. Reasons: it's very 'real display mimic'
        (user can simply understand it and you can also put here a lot
        of different info/feedback on current task/song such as "Loading
        Library" or "Not Playing" or "Connecting...", leaving statusbar
        for info about sources), it works better with long labels (see
        glade). There are just a coupe of trouble: it require more
        vertical space then "flat" and we can show only song's info or
        time (but we can put somewhere "View time" and "View info").
        Last note: I don't think "bevel" is a no GNOMEish stuff. HIG
        said "use spacing+indent+bold to reduce complexity and remove
        visual noise" (and it's cool in dialog/alert windows) don't
        "frames are evil". IMHO it's better (here) to separate
        dissimilar controls.
        P.S. Yeah, we can also mix them, adding a frame around the
        "flat" (see mixed-info-area), but i don't like it :-P
        
--> Placing search entry 
        Really hard task... In 'toolbar' or above the source view? Both
        seem right... Actually I like in toolbar (lists aligned, more
        cool, more emphasis, works like play button on selected
        source...), but no trouble to place it above source view.
        It's only sure (HIG) that this entry needs label left or above
        it and access key
        

--> Add Special Action Button 
        <quote topic="about burn button"> Apple included it in iTunes
        because it's part of their "Rip. Mix. Burn." marketing and
        branding, in which we are presumably not participating.
        </quote> 
        
        True. True. True. Apple is a commercial society, building
        commercial tools. They sell *Mac with or without CDRW drive, so
        they need to 'link' HW to SW. 
        We don't know if Rhythmbox users have a CDRW drive, we don't
        know if it's work fine with their kernel/OS, so expose it is...
        well... unuseful. 
        Rhythmbox can (have to) do it, but we don't need to expose it
        too much. It's better keep a player interface, putting advanced
        feature in pup-up and/or menus.
        
        [BTW latest iTunes can be browser to download online music from
        apple online store!!!]
        
        Another (personal) question, if we finally place it in main
        window: in Library-mode this button should be "Show Browser" or
        "Make Playlist"? 
        If it's "Show Browser" it should be a toggle, while in
        Playlist-mode it's a simple "Burn" button. It's a crack, IMHO.
        
        So, as jorn said, probably better remove it. But I don't know
        :-@
        
--> Volume control. 
        IMHO volume button is broken. Yeah, it's like panel applet, but
        it isn't a panel applet, it's a button. First HIG said "A button
        initiates an action when the user clicks it", second it's near
        other buttons that work in a different way (click -> start
        something).
        I want a slider somewhere [under play pause prev next button is
        the best place IMHO, so you have no spacing troubles on font
        size changing (see above about d.png)], and when the cursor is
        on the middle there is "no preamp".

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I try to put in legoland.glade usable 'pieces'. Note that they can be
changed adding or removing labels, changing spacing/alignment, using
pango markups...

In mp-summary.glade there are some assembled windows using all previous
mockups/ideas. I like all them (and all plausible variations using
legoland stuff): I can't choose one :-(

-- 
Think bigger

			My uncle

mp-summary.tar.bz2

legoland.tar.bz2