[LAD] Mouse/knob interaction

[Chris Cannam]

On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 9:18 PM,  <fons at kokkinizita.net> wrote:
> The important thing with rotary controls is that everything
> should be relative.

True, but also true of (computer GUI, rather than real) faders.
Dragging the mouse should give the impression of dragging the control,
rather than clicking the element instantly positioning the control.

> This is similar to the advantage of *real* rotary controls
> vs. linear ones. Try to control a linear fader while you're
> running from a riot police assault during a manifestation.
> Or under attack from a US helicopter mistaking your mic for
> a rocket launcher.

Aside from a certain concern about your longevity if such is your CV,
I think that's a quite different effect -- the cause of that is that
rotary controls have a centre, so that if your hand moves
involuntarily the control won't jump -- you'll just try to push it
into a different place, which will do nothing unless the axle breaks.

Real faders also move in a relative way; you can't instantly move them
to wherever your hand happens to be.  It's just that you can push them
much more quickly with an involuntary motion.  The absolute vs
relative thing I think is entirely a computer phenomenon.


Chris