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Author Topic: aMule gui clean up  (Read 3204 times)

netdur

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aMule gui clean up
« on: July 27, 2005, 01:20:34 AM »

it's no matter how cool aMule is, if users can't use it, then it bad as any crappy software is, aMule has an horrible interface... which need to clean up and get some usability works.
at first look at aMule, I found most of widgets in wrong and scary places, so I tried to re-design it, may you like... here a moke-up

#see attachment

what I tried, is simplifies it, hide options and informations that only power geeks understand, I created a menu which has this sturcture

##################
aMule
> Servers
> Disconnect
----
> ED2K Link
----
> Quit

Edit
> Propreties
----
> Preferences

View
> Langauges > sub-menu
> Skins > sub-menu

Bookmark
> Add Bookmark
> Manage Bookmark
----
> server
> another server

Help
> Online Help
> Forum
> About
##################

I will try to re-desing preferneces dialog

disclaim: I'm not software designer but granted analyse programmer, and most of works above is done by reading GNOME's HIG
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Kry

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Re: aMule gui clean up
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2005, 12:35:44 PM »

You did the same mistake other people in the past: insulting the work of the people currently doing the interface :)


And yes, that interfacte is gnomish. I hate gnome.


You can always develop your own GUI that communicates with aMule core via EC. That would be good :)
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lfroen

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Re: aMule gui clean up
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2005, 12:59:58 PM »

Kry: search interface is very confusing. Man is right about it. It _is_ need redesign. And please, don't feel insulted - getting UI right is not as easy as it seems, especially with wx which RAD tools is really piece of crap (comparing to other toolkits).

netdur: you design is not better either. You missed a point, that returned data is quite long strings, so you must use as match horisontal space as possible and not occupy it with "seach" tab.

You using global toolbar with large icons - except for using _other_ icons I can't see difference. It's not "Files", it's "Shared files" or may be just "Shared" but sure not just "Files" - it's not file manager.
Menu is definitly out of place - why do you want menu anyway ... ?

Quote
You can always develop your own GUI that communicates with aMule core via EC

Take a look at amulegui - that's an example. You can take all EC and datastructure from there and attach to any GUI you like ! Than we will see the difference.
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Kry

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Re: aMule gui clean up
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2005, 01:03:39 PM »

Of course search page need redesign - we all know that. But it's already planned, and this guy is not talking about search but about full GUI redesign.
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lfroen

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Re: aMule gui clean up
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2005, 02:34:07 PM »

Quote
but about full GUI redesign.

Let's not be carried away :)
Download page is mostly ok: categories need some work, uploading/client list too, but rest is good. And this is heart of amule, most frequently used thing.
Server page is ok - better controls will not hurt, but it's just a list after all.
Chat is useless imho, but others may disagree.
Shared files can be improved, but ok in general.

Too bad that we can't change toolkit. Or use Qt designer. But this is another story.
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Xaignar

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Re: aMule gui clean up
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2005, 10:02:35 PM »

The search dialog basically needs to be taken out back and shot, and the rest of the GUI could surely need some streamlining. IMO, the tool-bar also kinds sucks. ;)
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netdur

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Re: aMule gui clean up
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2005, 01:51:52 AM »

Kry; I'm sorry if you felt "insulting", I did not meant to and I think I did not... yes, I said it's "horrible" but still subjective, actually I like what aMule do, I use it right now, but based on desktop experience (I use GNOME) aMule has nothing in right place but depends on your point of view every widget is on its right place... that's subjective
well, I didn't try re-deisgn full gui, because I think "transfers", "shared files" and "statistics" is just fine, while need clean up but still fine,

please don't hate GNOME, it's just technology not enemy
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