[Audacity-devel] User Interface Discussion (From intro and eye candy)

[gregg g. <gre...@cr...>]

Sorry for the delay in responding=85really busy weekend.

First off, I just want to thank everyone for their critiques. I knew that a=
ctually posting something this early would draw a lot of them. The mockup i=
s very rough and almost no thought went into the colors. I totally agree th=
at they need to be thought about more and integrated in color theme with th=
e other interface elements. I will try to address some of the points for an=
d against below.

 

The buttons size and theme applicability: 

Well, I guess size is a preference. Bigger is easier, i.e. children=92s gam=
e interfaces have big loud buttons. What I was trying to do with shrinking =
the play/rec controls though is to make the interface a little more elegant=
 and polished. To be honest, part of the reason that I did not take audacit=
y more seriously when I first found it was the overly huge, cartoonish look=
ing buttons. My resolution is set at 1152 x 864 and for me the buttons were=
 too big. I can see making two sizes and letting the users decide which the=
y would like though. 
I think that the buttons somewhere between the two extremes may be good too=
. That would take a little more change to the interface. Think of the play =
and volume controls on final cut pro or the quicktime player.

The whole theme argument I guess I just don=92t get. The only way the big a=
nd smaller buttons were tied together(before) was the slight =93glow=94 on =
mouseover if the button was available for use.



The secondary interface items=85lines or no lines?

I should have put a mouseover state up on the mockup as well. The clickable=
 size of the buttons would be the same as before with a mouseover effect to=
 show you that you are over the button. I do think that no-lines except for=
 contextual separation is cleaner though, as long as there is a way to tell=
 what button the mouse is over.



 Tracks.

I would like to hear more from the users. I personally don=92t like the flo=
ating feeling that the interface gives now to the tracks. I have tried more=
 than once to move them around on accident. I think that their appearance s=
hould be more cemented into the interface personally. 
 

Once again, I appreciate all the discussion. I really hope that I am able t=
o com up with some things that will improve audacity and gain it even more =
wide acceptance.

 

Gregg Griffin