Version: 2.2.1 (using KDE KDE 3.1.1) Installed from: Debian testing/unstable Packages OS: Linux In order to active visualization plugins, one has to do this in the preferences of Noatun. Even though xmms does the same, I feel that's this is a usability problem. In my opinion, visualization plugins should be directly accesible from the main application, e.g. via the context menu (Windows Mediaplayer allows this for example). In my opinion, the preferences menu is something for long-lasting changes and not something one does change often, like a visualization effect. Configuration of visualization plugins (e.g. plugin specific parameters) very well belong into the preferences, however, the activation of the visualization plugins might better fit into a more directly accessible menu. Thanks for your attention! Noatun is a nice program! Beat
On more thought about the plugin system used by Noatun. Plugins are a very nice way from the programming point of few to allow at the same time for modularization and extensibility. I think it is a very good thing, that Noatun uses plugins extensively. However, pure users are mostly not interrested in how the underlying project is interconnected or implemented. They often prefer an integrated solution, respectively, a task and problem oriented interface. I think that Noatun exposes too much of the underlying implementation. This can be seen of how all plugins are nicely grouped in the preferences - nice from the engineering point of view. However, this leads to a plugin-, instead of a task-oriented interface. Interface plugins, playlist plugins visualization plugins and other plugins are all grouped together. However, all these plugins are not very much related with each other and can lead to confusion for a user which is not _used_ to the program. In my opinion, the chosen interface is not intuitive right from the start for a novice. Also, different interface plugins can be activated at the same time, which doesn't help to focus the user on a given interface. Why should an application have two ore more parallel interfaces, which both compete for the attention of the user at the same time? When I saw this behaviour for the first time, I thought it was a bug and not an implementation choice. I like the way of UNIX, one tool for a given job and keep it simple. However, for certain more complex tasks, as is the case with a mediaplayer, a minimum of integration can improve usability. Dont' get me wrong, I think that e.g the MS Mediaplayer is too bloated, this is the other extreme. But a bit more integration and task orientation wouldn't harm, would it? What do you think? Could Noatun not learn from other players (e.g. Winamp) interface-vise? I don't say cloning the exact look and feel, but find out what is good in other players and integrate it? Thanks for your attention! Beat
I'm hoping you don't really think that last comment had anything to do with the bug you're reporting..... If you think having two interfaces open at the same time is a bug, file it separately. Which was probably the only bug-related thought in the above comment.
if you read comment #15 on bug #58044 they talk about a patch for this bug. is it fix or ?
In KDE 3.2.2 the visualization access is partially implemented in Noatun: It is available for e.g. the "winamp" interface but not for the "simple" interface. If the authors of Noatun feel like it is too much bloat to add this feature to the actions, effects or settings menu, please feel free to close the bug report. Personally, I feel like visualizations belong into the action dialog and less into the settings dialog as currently implemented, as visualizations are usually not long-standing settings. Thanks a lot! Cheers, Beat
OMG, why didn't I close this earlier? Noatun already has got a "Visualizations" submenu in its context-menu to start/stop visualizations. I added that quite some time ago.