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Interface Issues and Apple Guidelines

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Dr Tone:
1) I'd like to see an interface that follows apples design guidelines and feels like an apple app.  IMO, this is more important than the video features in the windows version.
2) I'd like my media volume keys to work when mc's internal volume control is bypassed.

Afrosheen:

--- Quote from: Dr Tone on July 30, 2014, 06:51:15 pm ---1) I'd like to see an interface that follows apples design guidelines and feels like an apple app.  IMO, this is more important than the video features in the windows version.
2) I'd like my media volume keys to work when mc's internal volume control is bypassed.

--- End quote ---

Yes, definitely, on both accounts.  I really hope that these two features will be the focal point of this version's development…

sandalaudio:

--- Quote from: Dr Tone on July 30, 2014, 06:51:15 pm ---1) I'd like to see an interface that follows apples design guidelines and feels like an apple app.  IMO, this is more important than the video features in the windows version.
2) I'd like my media volume keys to work when mc's internal volume control is bypassed.

--- End quote ---

I also agree about the interface. I have no complaints about the sound and the playback capability on MC19.

I think the general behaviour of the program differs a lot from the standard Apple guidelines, and this makes the program look DIY and less professional. (although competitors like Amarra or Audirvana are not much better either).
For example, the menu bar appearance and locations need to be cleaned up. e.g. "Option" should be "Preferences..." and should be on the far left menu. These Apple design guidelines are minor things but makes the application look much more commercial and professional.

I have two requests.

1. Support for foreign characters is a bit dodgy on MC19. Standard apple shortcuts for accent or umlaut etc don't work on MC. (e.g. on Mac OS, ö is [ALT+u followed by o], é is [ALT+e followed by e] etc, which is standard for all applications like Finder, iTunes, Microsoft Office but it doesn't work on MC. When I do batch processes like file move, some files with tags that contain foreign font causes an error (says the file does not exist), but the job actually completes fine. It must just be the way MC deals with the non-english Mac/Unicode characters.

2. Maybe it's just me but the content sync transfer to portable devices (e.g. Walkman) is very slow on MC19 compared to the Finder drag and drop. If this becomes as fast as the Finder then I am very happy.

I've just purchased the MC20 upgrade license. Keep up the great work!

Afrosheen:

--- Quote from: sandalaudio on July 30, 2014, 09:23:19 pm ---I think the general behaviour of the program differs a lot from the standard Apple guidelines, and this makes the program look DIY and less professional.

--- End quote ---

I don't wish to begrudge, but I wish to make sure that this isn't just an "aesthetic" issue, which by itself is certainly valid and don't mean to disagree with that.  But what I wish to emphasize is the functionality that an integrated interface brings, which I indicated in the thread that I wrote earlier today in the MC 19 for Mac forum.  

There are many of us power users who employ certain tricks that the MacOS provides to make the usability and functionality of independently developed apps ever more efficient and more powerful.  So I just wish to make this point is clear that some of us aren't requesting a more native "look" that is more appealing or conforms to a certain design appeal that, for instance, iOS 7 had demanded from its developers when it was released.  We are just requesting that the app reflects the features of the environment of the OS that we Mac users have chosen to be in and that "philosophical" point is something that I hope is considered here in this case and not dismissed as a superficial design request as it seems to have been in the last version, with the implicit response to this request being that the integration of the app was the sacrifice we Mac users had to make for having this app exist on the MacOS.  

So I'm not saying that such dismissal was deliberate, but something that was presented as a limitation stemming from the base direction of the development of the app, which I do not fault the staff here at all.  But I believe that was not communicated well at the start.  And so my wish here is to make sure we all are on the same page as to what we users are exactly contributing to, specifically whether the development of the app is permanently constrained by its direction or whether the leap will be made and the app will gain it's own "Mac identity" beyond its well curated port from Windows to Mac.      

And I understand that making such requests isn't something that developers like to hear.  It is certainly taxing and enervating to hear demands like this.  But I hope that this understanding is also reflected from the developers of the users to request another contribution to something that is at its third iteration, when we are looking for features that are common requests during a first iteration of an application.  Please forgive me for being frankly honest, but it is beginning to challenge the faith in this process and the patience some of us have been showing.

I certainly wish to continue supporting the development of the software, as I have had great benefit from having it on my machines.  So I am immensely grateful that Media Center has been brought over to the Mac and that gratitude is still stronger than such desires I personally have for the app.  I am still incredibly appreciative despite the reservations I just expressed. 

And with that I wish to also express my sincerest appreciation for the time taken to consider this hullabaloo post!  

mwheelerk:
I really don't think people are really requesting just a look but the form and functionality of a Mac app. Great product no the less.

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