[linux-audio-dev] Knobs / widget design (radial movement)

[Fons Adriaensen]

On Sat, Jun 26, 2004 at 01:33:59AM -0400, Lee Revell wrote:

> Designing for usability is not rocket science.  For the phone example,
> the options (in decreasing order of desirability) are:
> 
> 	1. A self-explanatory pictorial representation.
> 	2. A text label.
> 	3. An incomprehensible pictorial representation.
> 	4. An incomprehensible text label.
> 
> Only 1 and 2 are acceptable.  If you can't find an icon that clearly and
> unambiguously says 'Hold' (for example) then you MUST use a text label.

I wonder if such an icon can be found for e.g. 'Hold'. There are some
other examples, such as transport controls. "<<" and ">>" are clear
enough, but what about '||' for pause and a square for stop ? I'm never
quite sure about them, even if these signs are everywhere. I'd much
prefer just the text. Of course, then the user needs to know the 
language, but OTOH icons and colors are not culturally neutral either,
and most activities and trades have their 'preferred' language.

> > If you have a mousewheel :-)
> 
> I think the length and variety of responses to the basic question, "what
> is an intuitive way to move a radial control with the mouse pointer" is
> a compelling argument for getting a wheel mouse.

I agree it's a very natural way of controlling a radial control or
a spinbox.

-- 
FA