On Wed, Jun 09, 2004 at 08:39:36PM -0400, Dave Robillard wrote:
  > 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