Re: volume control problems

Robert Hart wrote:
>>0 is a logical start for the volume. More logical then starting in any 
>>other position because the current song / saved or mixer volume may not 
>>be what you had thought was acceptable the last time zinf was used. It 
>>makes more sense to not make any sound at all than to start up too loud 
>>and what is too loud cant be accurately determined so 0 is the only 
>>choice that makes good sense. Zinf in cooperative sound mode assumes it 
>>needs to play nice with other audio outputting programs, this can only 
>>be done safely by starting at zero and having the user put it at the 
>>level that is currently at the time of startup acceptable. If you are 
>>only running zinf and thus cooperative volume mode makes little sense 
>>you can always use the hardware mixers which do not default to 0. 
>>Cooperative mode is the default of zinf because it's the most nice mode 
>>and a program should always default to the nice modes, allowing the user 
>>to move to less nice modes as they see fit.
> 
> 
> Oh come on. It's a nice argument, but you are only fooling yourself.
> Whilst it may be logical, it is not sensible.
> 
> A guiding principle of UI design, it that of least suprise. In other
> words, zinf should behave how people expect it to behave. Every other
> audio device I have ever come across either defaults to the last used
> volume, or a sensible low volume (e.g 25%). (not counting the volume
> control is also on/off switch type). I have certainly never use a
> computer program that defaults to 0%.
> 
> In the current state an inexperienced user may not realise why zinf is
> making no sound, assume it is broken and not use it.
> 
> Another principle is that commonly used actions should be easy to use.
> This is why we have "Add and play now", as well as "Add" in the music
> browser. This feature is broken if you then have to go (into another
> window) and spend ages re-adjusting the volume to be able to hear the
> tracks you are playing.
> 
> I accept that there are times when what was previously an acceptable
> volume may be inappropriate, but any user with common sense should know
> when they are and deal with them manually. 
> 
> I had always assumed that "Cooperative mode" was that zinf controlled
> the volume in software, rather than by setting the global volume
> control. I don't see why this should change the initial volume level. Am
> I mistaken. If so, then the preference needs to be renamed.
> 
> Rob
> 

cooperative volume is software controlled, the default volume is chosen 
arbituarily.  and in it's currently fixed state.. we know when the first 
time we start a file is so we can access the preference variable for the 
last used volume.   This is an easy change.


As for UI design, if you believe what's common practice is wrong, then 
that's reason to do things in a "surprising" way.  cooperative volume 
should query the last volume used, that's  something that wasn't 
possible to do prior to my latest volume patch.  but for first 
installation uses I'd rather throw a warning up in the initial dialog 
window that pops up when you first use zinf telling the user that his 
volume controls are set to 0.  After that any issues with zinf starting 
up too loud and what not is their problem.




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