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Subject: Re: FS#9873 - Utilise buttons for playlisting

Re: FS#9873 - Utilise buttons for playlisting

From: Karl Kurbjun <kkurbjun_at_gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 13:19:41 -0700

On Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 12:29 PM, Paul Louden <paulthenerd_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Karl Kurbjun wrote:
>>
>> I think that any button that does not have an obvious function based
>> on it's label could be considered spare as long as the main functions
>> are present
>
> Who decides what the main functions are? Is "context menu" a main function,
> or should that be configurable? What about the existing pitch-screen
> combination? Is "resume playback" a main function or not, since you can
> already get to it from the menu? What about players that have two buttons
> labelled to do the same thing - do we keep both or is one spare? If so,
> which one?
>>
>> For example the M:Robe 500 has a heart button on it.  I no
>> idea what the obvious intended function would be for that button in
>> Rockbox,
>
> The "obvious" intended function depends entirely on what other buttons are
> on it. If you've got "every button but a menu button" labeled, then the
> Heart button makes perfect sense to be the menu button, etc. This still also
> doesn't address how to decide which buttons are spare and which are
> essential. Every user is going to have his own opinion on which
> functionality is "spare" based on their own use habits. Some people have
> already claimed seeking is unnecessary and they should be allowed to
> configure what long press of Next and Previous do.
>
> Are you going to be monitoring the forums and explaining to users why the
> buttons they want configured aren't possible, only the buttons *you* think
> are unimportant get to be customizable?
>

We could argue the minor details all day and I am sure that we could
come up with multiple 'obvious' uses for that button. The fact is (on
this player) that there is a button for menu along with everything
else you could do with the ipod buttons (plus some). Without a true
usability study I don't think anyone of us could/should make the
decision for non-intuitive buttons /especially/ when all the basic
operations are covered (if a real usability study was done I would
prefer to go with that in all honesty).

No I am not going to monitor the forums, people can ask till their
blue in the face but it doesn't mean that they get what they want. I
think that this thread proves that if anything ;).

I don't see how this is that much of a support burden if it is done
cleanly and if someone wants to write the code I am not against it.
That is my opinion and at this point I clearly understand that you are
against having configurable buttons, even if I don't really see the
substance behind your reason (in my example). I don't think there is
much more to say on the issue. All I am saying if it came to a vote I
would vote to allow it.

-Karl
Received on 2009-03-04

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