Special slider widget

Hi!

I recently came up with a concept I call fan-slider for now.
It's especialy designed for the needs of audio apps, and I 
already presented it on the Linux audio developers list. 
I doesn't fit into existing toolkits, and I guess it's not 
easy to implement, at least on X (I'm not a coder).

So I ask for taking the underlying needs for such a widget 
into account for Y's design, or even inclusion of an 
actual implementation in the widget set.

Mockup:
http://wrstud.uni-wuppertal.de/~ka0394/forum/04-06-12_fan_slider_02.png


_Motivation_

It's meant to be a replacement for normal sliders and knobs.
Because the trouble with knobs as used with many audio apps is, 
that people can't stick with one behaviour: some knobs have to 
be manipulated by click-hold and moving up and down or sideways 
(linear), while others react on direction (radial).

Radial has the advantage of allowing faster change or higher 
precision depending on how far away from center the pointer is 
moved. But circular movement is not easy to do, and so value 
change is usualy combined with varying sensitivity ...

Linear movement is not intuitive with knobs (allthough some 
people say it is). The shape and the metaphor both point 
to turning.


_How it's supposed to work_

Right on mouse-over the 'fan' appears to the right (reading 
direction, could flip on the other side if there's not enough 
space, just like menus do). This is important for making 
the special functionlaity discoverable.

Clicking anywhere on the initial slider 'grabs' the value, 
so there's no value jump (much hated by users of audio/
multimedia apps), but pointer and indicator movement keep in 
sync.

Moving the pointer to the right means adjusting sensitivity, 
up and down is value change.
Moving the pointer out on the other side could make the fan 
flip over.
Even on moving the pointer off from screen adjustment should 
work fine. The inclination of the marker line gives an extra 
hint at the value.

Just got an suggestion to have the fan grow exponentialy. 
Would have to be tested.


This behaviour should allow usage of rather small/short 
sliders, while still providing higher sensitivity if needed.


_Technical problems (I assume)_

- Transparency and anti-aliasing
- Drawing outside the initial widget, but also outside of 
the parent window in cases (over full screen)
- allowing the mouse to leave the screen and handling 
this consistently.



_The design_

I wanted the whole slider to appear raised, emphasizing
it's clickable everywhere. Therefor the glass capsule
look serves a purpose, and is not just eye-candy.

The orange/yellow is supposed to give enough contrast in
brightness alone, and to give a feel of energy, without
being too agressive.


But the important thing is the concept, there would 
be theming afterwards anyway, wouldn't it?

Are Y Widgets supposed to be scalable vector graphics?
Anyway, created this as SVG (in Inkscape).


Comments please!


Thanks,
Thorsten Wilms