Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] read it and drool
From: Paul Barton-Davis (pbd_AT_Op.Net)
Date: Mon Dec 04 2000 - 05:13:00 EET
wow, i didn't expect my pointer to Reason to invite such a welter of
UI design comments.
first of all, the main reason to drool has nothing to do with the
GUI. can you do *any* of the things Reason offers in a reliable,
musically complete way with *any* linux software ? well lets see ...
we don't have a single reasonably bug-free MIDI and/or audio sequencer
yet. we don't have a functioning real-time sample player. we have some
very rudimentary real time FX programs, the ones of which i've tried
have for the most part been extremely simplistic and rarely suitable
as stomp box replacements. we don't have anything with the quality of
any of the windows/macos drum machines yet - dave's page has pointers
to a few interesting programs all of which can be used for music
experiments but few of which seem robust enough to be considered
replacements for dedicated drum machine h/w despite a massive surplus
of CPU cycles for this job being generally available. the only
matrix/pattern sequencer we have is still "under development". i don't
know of any audio playback programs that can function as mixers even
of preexisting disk files (let alone real-time generated material),
except perhaps for the digital dj stuff like terminatorX, and these
seem to be limited to just two sounds at once. i don't of anyone's
linux s/w except my own that can dynamically learn MIDI controls so as
to allow external h/w controllers to be used instead of on-screen
visual controllers.
and what's the response here ? "oh, its too shiny" or "it has too many
knobs!" i mean, come on lad-folk!
ok, so ellis has very kindly filled us in on some of the not-so-nice
realities of actually using the software. but look, this tool
represents a level of integration and more importantly, a level of
(theoretical) capability that we are at least 1-3 years away
from. critiquing the GUI just seems like sniping to me, rather than an
honest response to the capabilities of the software itself. yes, linux
has a wealth of interesting bits of software with which to experiment
in the little corners of the sound world. but i don't know of any
linux software that can do what even *one* of reason's "devices" can.
Dan Hollis writes:
>It seems to violate nearly every GUI rule there is. Knobs never belong on
>a GUI.
i couldn't find this rule at the isys site. even if i could, i reserve
to say "crapola!". i don't disagree that there are better visual
elements than knobs. mackie has a nice one, for example: a numeric
display that works much the way my knobs do (simple vertical motion to
adjust the value; step size determined by radial distance from the
center of the element; direct text entry possible as well). but to say
point blank that you should never use a knob - why not ban sliders
too, since they are essentially the same concept as a knob:
non-numeric visual feedback with mouse-motion adjustment for a value
of some kind ?
--p
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