I like amarok, but the interface is getting pretty bloated, and sometimes even confusing to use. Here I'll try to mockup some simple improvements to improve usability and aesthetics

version 0.1: make searchbars, menubar, and widget bar hideable

This saves about 30px vertically (another 20 if you count the hidden menubar)

there's still other things that need work; for example, the name of the playing song appears 6 times in the window

You can already do that: right click on the toolbar, unlock layout and then move things around or remove what you don't like. Yes, I know, this is not an easy to find feature for now, but since there is no emergency reset function yet for people who screw their layout and can't get back, we will not release that to the general public

Mamarok wrote:You can already do that: right click on the toolbar, unlock layout and then move things around or remove what you don't like. Yes, I know, this is not an easy to find feature for now, but since there is no emergency reset function yet for people who screw their layout and can't get back, we will not release that to the general public

none of the changes in the mockup are currently possible, please have a closer look The argument for not adding the possibility to hide the menubar is invalid since almost every other kde app can do it. I can understand it for a text editor, but a music player? How many times do you ever use the menubar in amarok? If you don't want anyone to get confused, then just add the option to make a shortcut for it with none set as default
(konsole this iirc)

I use the Menu bar all the time when switching Playlist Layouts, which is at least once or twice a day, depending on the style of music I listen to. Also, I use the menu to close Amarok very often, and the search bar in the Collection Browser is a tool I use certainly 10 times a day if not more often. Hiding these items is not really something I need, on the contrary.

But hey, if you want to contribute code to do so, you are of course very welcome. It is just not very high on the TODO list for the developers.

Scnd101 wrote:there's still other things that need work; for example, the name of the playing song appears 6 times in the window

I agree. Six times is to much for the default interface. This should be reduced to maybe two. The one from the window decorator I think can not be customized, the one from the right bottom, can also not be removed/changed.

There are to many duplicated functionalities in the default interface.

There is also two times the star icon to manage bookmarks.
The love icon for last.fm is also two times, even though one is a bit shadowed.
Two search boxes, even if one is to search the collection, and the other to search in the playlist. The first time new users see Amarok, I have noticed that they are confused. I'm confused in the day by usage too.


The users should not loose time and energy thinking how to use the program, but using the program it self, he should use the program as a tool, in this case to hear music and some natural related things.

Scnd101 wrote:make searchbars, menubar, and widget bar hideable

Menubar should be made hideable like any other KDE apps. Many people use it a lot, but many people also use it seldom.

There is now a trend to remove the menubar, in KDE/Qt apps like in the rekonq web browser, Bangarang music player, or Minitunes/Minitube. Chrome since some years made the move, Opera now too, now Firefox is doing the same.

Yeah, I agree about the redundancy of the currently playing track information.

We've been aware of this issue for quite some time, and we have discussed some strategies for solving it. One solution could be to remove the statusbar entirely, and only keep the sliding messages for errors.

The statusbar itself rarely shows any interesting information that isn't redundant. We could really do without it.

Regarding the main menu, we have also talked about removing it (not hiding it optionally, but removing it entirely).

But first we would need to figure out a really good replacement strategy.

markey wrote:The statusbar itself rarely shows any interesting information that isn't redundant. We could really do without it.

I agree.
Instead, panels (media source and playlist) could display important information (errors, playlist statistics - as at the moment) some other way, e.g., by adding an error-icon a user can click on or a panel-specific status bar where needed.

markey wrote:Regarding the main menu, we have also talked about removing it (not hiding it optionally, but removing it entirely).

But first we would need to figure out a really good replacement strategy.

Browsers also go this way, e.g., by adding a "menu button" to the gui that hides the menu or using a hot-key to display the menu (Alt in IE).

marcel wrote:Browsers also go this way, e.g., by adding a "menu button" to the gui that hides the menu or using a hot-key to display the menu (Alt in IE).

Talk about a confusing and annoying thing. I find it extremely confusing when the menu bar is missing, with no way to put it back. Please don't do this.

I have a few suggestions. I would like to be able to customize the look of Amarok a bit more.

For example, the middle part with the Wikipedia thing. I found it amusing at first, but then I got tired of it selecting the wrong person (with no way to tell it which John Williams is playing, for example). So I removed it.

Now I have the middle part completely empty, except for the large CD icon with the scrolling texts telling which song is now playing.

I would like to remove the CD icon for one. I'm not interested in the CD covers (or at least not have them permanently take up half the screen space).

It would also be nice if it was possible to move the play list, and have it under the "currently playing" rectangle. This way I would be able to see artist, title and album without scrolling, and avoiding most occurrences where the ends of the titles are cropped.

This way, instead of three columns, I would have two.

Rubens wrote:I have a few suggestions. I would like to be able to customize the look of Amarok a bit more.

For example, the middle part with the Wikipedia thing. I found it amusing at first, but then I got tired of it selecting the wrong person (with no way to tell it which John Williams is playing, for example). So I removed it.

Now I have the middle part completely empty, except for the large CD icon with the scrolling texts telling which song is now playing.

I would like to remove the CD icon for one. I'm not interested in the CD covers (or at least not have them permanently take up half the screen space).

It would also be nice if it was possible to move the play list, and have it under the "currently playing" rectangle. This way I would be able to see artist, title and album without scrolling, and avoiding most occurrences where the ends of the titles are cropped.

This way, instead of three columns, I would have two.

I routinely run Amarok with only two columns. I love the Context menus -- there is such a variety of information available! Use the wrench icon to add more applets. However, if you only want to see it sometimes, you can tab it with either or both the other panes, or stack them however you want, or banish it all-together. The key to all this power is in the View Menu. Unclick Lock Layout, and you will see small symbols in the top right of each pane. The X disappears the pane, and the diamond allows free movement. You can get a pane back by checking it in the View menu, and Lock Layout again when you are satisfied with the way you have your Amarok.

See mine at http://imagebin.ca/view/6IWtZHtm.html

That looks fantastic. Exactly what I was looking for, but couldn't find.

I'll have a look when I get home today.