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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:47 pm 
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kakashi wrote:
I was aware of that. I however believe that it is possible to make things simpler to figure out without crowding the interface.

Are you saying that you don't like the reorganized interface ?


kakashi wrote:
On a different note: I thought version 3 was skinnable?
or was i mistaking it for 4?

It's true that the original plan was to add a skin system, and to call it version 3. But this plan has changed. We have enough improvements taking place (improved interface, new database structure, barcode management, covers of the owned videos, Mac version) to call it version 3. It's about time since we are at version 2.99.7.

But you won't have to wait for version 4 to get the skin system. It will happen a little after the release of version 3.


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:59 pm 
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(cool) Hector wrote:
Are you saying that you don't like the reorganized interface ?


The interface looks pretty crowded especially with the amount of tabs and information that's shown at the top of the window. It would be good if the information was shown only when needed (separate window?).

Judging by the way you usually do things I think that you could have made the interface easier to use without the use of so many tabs. I think it is possible for you to simplify the interface even more without loosing functionality.


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:15 am 
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One of coollector's major strongpoints is that it has a clear, minimal and simple looking interface even though it has so many features.


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:16 am 
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You're the first person that doesn't like the new interface. That's interesting.

You must understand that I frequently get feedback from users who are confused by the current interface, with panels replacing other panels, etc... I've come to realize that adding the tabs wouldn't be a luxury. Also, in my opinion, there are several cases where the tabs make the navigation more convenient.

And finally, I'm particularly happy with the numbers at the top. They provide statistics, and at the same time they are shortcuts to quickly adjust the filters. Also, new users instantly visualize that Coollector will manage the videos they own, those they loaned, etc...


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:26 am 
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kakashi wrote:
One of coollector's major strongpoints is that it has a clear, minimal and simple looking interface even though it has so many features.

The new menu bar occupies the same space and provides the same information and functionality, but directly, without having to click on the menus "Movie Search" and "Person Search". When I've had this idea, it looked so obvious that I wondered why I hadn't thought about it earlier.


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:56 am 
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Why not use icons (as you have done through coollector) to make your menu bar seem less contested.

eg. for:
Playable
Loaned
Wished
Ordered
Owned
etc.

Its not the menu bar its the amount of text in it. The icons you use throughout the program are ingenious and made the program seem much less crowded.

even 'tools' and 'help' could be simplified by using icons
http://www.mail.egat.co.th/OwaPage/images/Tools_clipart.png
http://twitgoo.com/images/help-icon.jpg
(netter than these ones of course)

Your use of images helps to make things look less crowded and seem to fit together as one.


Last edited by kakashi on Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:00 am 
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(cool) Hector wrote:
there are several cases where the tabs make the navigation more convenient


I like the tabs but why 6?

If you kept the string searches as they are now (invisible unless you press a character key while in a filtered search) you would only have 4. That makes it seems much less crowded


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:12 am 
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kakashi wrote:
If you kept the string searches as they are now (invisible unless you press a character key while in a filtered search) you would only have 4.

You have to think about the persons who use the program for the first time and who don't RTFM (read the fucking manual). Either they'll uninstall the program, either they'll contact me and I'll answer the same question again and again. Adding 2 more tabs is the price to pay, and it's cheap.

Also, even when you know the trick of pressing a character, there are still cases where the tabs are more convenient. For instance, you open the program and want to look for a person. If you don't have any direct access to the person string search, you'll have to click the movie panel to make appear the person panel, then click the person panel to give it the focus. Very cumbersome...


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:23 am 
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(cool) Hector wrote:
You're the first person that doesn't like the new interface. That's interesting.

I like it a lot. The interface is well thought out. The only problem i have is the amount of text. I think the text is strangling your cool new interface. I actually like your tabs and menu. (remember i even suggested tabs once)

The fact still remains that Coollector is the coolest and least congested of all the Movie Collection software I've seen so far.

(cool) Hector wrote:
You have to think about the persons who use the program for the first time and who don't read the fucking manual.

:D you have a major point there.

So what do you think of cutting down text by using icons?
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(cool) Hector wrote:
For instance, you open the program and want to look for a person. If you don't have any direct way to invoke the person string search, you'll have to click the movie panel to make appear the person panel, then click the person panel to give it the focus. Very cumbersome...

Thers the option of person string search if you press a character while in persons tab.


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:24 am 
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Another thing that is great about the tabs, is that you can go back to a search and find it in the state you left it.


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:30 am 
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(cool) Hector wrote:
Another thing that is great about the tabs, is that you can go back to a search and find it in the state you left it.


MAJOR BONUS :D

so what about the icons?


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:35 am 
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kakashi wrote:
I actually like your tabs and menu. (remember i even suggested tabs once)

I don't remember particularly, but it's possible that it's you who seeded the idea in my mind, so thank you !


kakashi wrote:
So what do you think of cutting down text by using icons?

The answer is simple: I'm not an artist, I had to pay someone to draw the current icons, and I don't have any money to spend right now. In addition to that, I'm not convinced that icons would look better because, personally, I'm not disturbed at all by the text labels.


kakashi wrote:
Thers the option of person string search if you press a character while in persons tab.

You're right. That's ingenious. But if even me I hadn't thought about this trick, what are the chances that a new user will think about it ?


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:45 am 
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Ive done a bit of art graphic design (probably why i troubled by too much text) +it's an architects duty to introduce unity in all parts of the design.

What file formats do you use for your icons? I know a few graphic designers/artists?


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:47 am 
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I don't know if everybody's like me, but when I discover a program with a toolbar which is a series of icons, I tend to not pay much attention to them, and my eye moves quickly to somewhere else. But if there's text, some words can catch my attention more easily .


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 Post subject: Re: string search within owned movies
PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:51 am 
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kakashi wrote:
I know a few graphic designers/artists?

Ok, let's imagine that I can have nice icons... As I said above, I'm not convinced that the result would be better. I don't want to get rid of the numbers, and they would look strange next to an icon.


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