Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoshi 1080
Well then talk about niche markets ... frankly, I think that the sentiment to disregard the usability completely in favor of features is even more problematic in the Linux world. I just guessed Windows developer since it has a greater market share. To clarify, I think this is a general problem and not specifically yours.
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You need to realize that usability is
a) Subjective
b) 90% familiarity
I happen to think calibre's interface is extremely usable and lots of calibre users agree with me, and I have emails from various 90 year olds who were delighted to find software they could use intuitively. I will agree that it looks ugly on OS X, but I have already explained the reasons for that, and it has nothing to do with my feelings about Apple.
Now because calibre does not look like other programs on OS X, its usability on OS X suffers. But I have explained my reasons for not writing platform dependent UIs. Hopefully, Qt's OS X support will improve with time.
Quote:
I’m really sorry you feel personally attacked, I didn’t mean that (although I’m not sure when or how I am supposed to have done that). I was criticizing your development decisions and your attitude as a developer. It just sounds like selling something you don’t believe in and even publicly emphasizing this dislike. I thought by advertising your application in this forum you would present yourself primarily as this software’s developer and not as a private person. Still, when I look back the only personal attacks came from you calling me all kinds of things for being a Mac user. So I’m not sure you are being fair here. 
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I am not "selling" calibre. calibre is provided as a service to this community. I did not ask for calibre to have its own forum at mobileread, that was requested by calibre users. When you post attacks about my software in an unrelated thread simply as a way to deflect attention from the topic at hand, you will get attacked in return.
If you don't like calibre, don't use it and don't post random attacks about it in threads where its developers hang out, that is just not polite. If you like it and use it and want to help, make concrete suggestions, offer patches/graphics to improve it. Do not say the UI you made sucks, say instead, this part of the UI could be improved in so and so way. And say it in a thread/ticket dedicated to the purpose. And remember that calibre is developed by volunteers, so dont expect people to jump to follow your suggestions. And also remember that UI and usability are subjective and that calibre is a cross platform app and what looks good usable on one platform may not be so on another.
If you feel something should be different, make a case for it. And that case should not read as, this sucks it would be so much better like that instead. For an example of such positive feeedback that actually leads to UI change, see this ticket
http://bugs.calibre-ebook.com/ticket/5756