Re: [LAD] User eXperience in Linux Audio

Years ago, I had a sequencer program that had no knobs. It had only text fields. However, holding the mouse button down and moving the mouse up or down (maybe side to side as well) adjusted the value with no text input required. The mouse pointer may end up way off the value it was adjusting but that was fine. While it was possible to make knob pictures with the graphics lib at that time (Atari ST actually) the monitor resolution was low and the author was trying to put (probably too) many controls on the screen). A knob is ok if it works similar. Knobs that insist that I touch the knob pointer and move that in a tiny arch to adjust and where the pointer flips from one end to the other if I make the wrong move are not easier to move on stage... A knob picture is fine, it shows the user "this is a continuously variable control" while using a lot less screen realestate than a slider would. A knob that looks like a knob but works like a slider is what is needed. Being able to change value by moving the knob (or trying to) up and down or left and right is much more usable than trying to move the mouse in tiny circles. I would suggest being able to adjust using both up/down and left/right so that controls can be close to screen edge and still work. As I said above, a text field can work the same way and give a more acurate value indication... though a knob position may be enough gives a quick visual relative idea that may be more useful. -- Len Ovens www.ovenwerks.net