9 Jun
2004
9 Jun
'04
11:28 p.m.
On Wed, 2004-06-09 at 21:03, Tim Hockin wrote:
On Wed, Jun 09, 2004 at 08:39:36PM -0400, Dave
Robillard wrote:
If it's determined that linear is indeed better I think the knob should
change into something that makes it clear that up/down linear movement
is what's required then.
Grabbing a knob and moving the mouse up and down just isn't intuitive,
and smashes the hardware metaphor to tiny little bits.
-DR-
> How about velocity sensitive knobs like
OhmForce plugs use. Uggh.
I think radial adjustment is the clearest, most
obvious way for a knob
to move.. it is a knob after all. A newbie sitting down at the machine
isn't going to try to drag it vertically, they're going to try to
"turn"
Actually, I think vertical is most obvious, based on my watching people.
Radial is confusing to people. Popping up a little vertical meter also
helps indicate that the control moves up and down.
Of course, this is leaving out linear coarse
adjustment, but can we
really come up with a way of having all of them? Yet another hotkey :/
A global option is the only way to make everyone happy.
I really do think radial should be the
left-button default though, it's
just what a knob visually suggest it should do. If linear should be the
default, the widget itself should be a fader IMHO. Think of the poor
newbs! :)
Watch the poor newbs! I'd accept the results of a real usability test.
Get 25 people who have no music software experience or very little, and
give them a set of tasks with two UIs. Ask for results, and watch the
confusion. I'd live with it (though I'll hack in linear control on my own
box, if I lose the bet :)
Tim