Calibre's UI/UX

[kevzapata7]

Hello there! I just wanted to share with you some I did with the Calibre UI and UX. Hope you like it, let me know what you think.

https://www.behance.net/gallery/1937...-UIUX-redesign

[eschwartz]

Very interesting.

If you are interested in making this happen, development instructions are here: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/develop.html

Also, future notice: Best to discuss these things in the Calibre forum here, specifically the Development subforum. (A moderator should be along shortly to re-file this thread. )

Then Kovid Goyal can see this, and hopefully indicate his willingness to accept any changes along these lines (best to double-check in cases like this,that there aren't any pre-existing plans).

[Ripplinger]

As long as this is an option and not a forced change for everyone from the current UI. Options are good, forcing one way or another isn't.

[HarryT]

Moved to the Calibre forum.

[kovidgoyal]

Looking at those mockups, the functionality they present is a strict subset of current functionality, as such, they might be a candidate for a dumbed-down, Apple style UI, but they are not really suitable to replace the current UI.

Note that I am not saying dumbed-down is necessarily a bad thing. For people that have limited use cases, a simplified "consumer" style UI can come in handy, but my design philosophy is to enable simple use, while not hindering complex use. And Apple style UIs dont really fit with that philosophy.

In principle, if someone were to commit to maintaining such a UI, I have no objections to it, one can then present an option in the Welcome Wizard allowing the user to choose the dumbed down UI if they like. But personally, I have no interest in working on such a UI.

[McGonigle]

I like it. I like it a lot kevsapata. I think it is beautiful and very well done. I'd use it the instant it was offered.

As I understand it, a redesign of the UI does not reduce or minimize the functionality of Calibre, all features of Calibre would remain unchanged. In fact, I think it is not unlike the present day case where you can customize columns and buttons and elect to hide or show various functions.

[kevzapata7]

Hi guys. Well, actually this work is based on elementary OS, an Ubuntu based distro. It is true that all the features are not shown there, but the basis of this work was created in a manner that they can be included. The idea of this was to improve the User experience, while maintaining all the features that the program has. The presentation above only has the "main" features, because I haven't designed every single window and every single user interaction since I didn't know if any of the developers would like it or implement it.

[kovidgoyal]

@kevzapata: If your redesign actually can incorporate *all* the features present in the main calibre window I would be very (pleasantly) surprised. For instance:

Note I am talking only about the main window, not the rest of calibre.

1) Adding custom actions to the toolbar and menubar (which, I think, in your design becomes only a menubar + some entries in the left panel?)

2) Customizing which fields are displayed in the book details panel

3) Customizing the categories and grouping of data in tags browser (the left panel in the main calibre window). Try clicking the Alter tag browser button, or right click on any entry in the Tag Browser.

4) Creating and managing virtual libraries as tabs (click the Virtual libraries button) Your design appears to have a tab bar, but it doesn't look customizable.

5) Finding items in the Tag browser using a search box

6) Having multiple variations of commonly used actions, such as adding books or edit metadata (try right clicking any of the toolbar buttons in calibre)

7) Having a cover flow type view of the covers (click the little book cover button in the bottom right corner of the main calibre window)

8) I dont know what the back and forward buttons are for in your main window

9) There appears to be no way to see the number of books and number of books selected nor to get access to the jobs manager (but I suppose these can be added to the bottom row of the window).

[kacir]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@kevzapata: If your redesign actually can incorporate *all* the features present in the main calibre window I would be very (pleasantly) surprised. ...

10. there are also plugins, such as Quick Preferences plugin or search the Internet that sit on the menubar.

Fortunatelly nowadays I can configure Calibre not to use icon bar but a menubar in its place. You would have take that into the account.

I like nifty and modern interfaces, but recently a promise of a new interface fills me with dread. Just look at the Metro disaster, or Unity and Gnome 3, or at Gnome developers that take away options from power users in sake of simplifying interface for the lowest common denominator.

[theducks]

One of the nicer looking alternate UI's I have seen proposed

[eschwartz]

Indeed, I have seen the occasional suggestion that calibre should have a Simplified UI mode, useful for people who don't do as much power usage. This might do very nicely.

Alternatively, whatever this eventually becomes, may be able to incorporate the same fluidity of power usage that the current UI has (I am sure this was just a preliminary mockup to get ideas flowing)... either way, I do think this would be best (at least at first, certainly) to implement this as an option.

I will be interested to see what results from this work.

[kevzapata7]

Thanks all of you for the feedback. On implementing all the features listed above, as I said, I'm certain this could be possible. Of course, there will be a lot of work to do. On the other side, I do think any change, no matter how little it is, made to Calibre or any other open source software should be optional. Just take a look at GIMP: when they implemented the collapsed view they also kept the floating panels view so everyone would be happy. Once again, thank you guys for all your opinions and ideas.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

One of the nicer looking alternate UI's I have seen proposed

- also one few that is truly different

@kevzapata7 - I've little doubt there's a case to made for a Calibre Lite. I know several people who have found calibre overwhelming; btw: they have the same reaction to 'advanced' music managers such as Media Monkey. Most reverted to using the desktop software associated with their device, e.g. K4PC, Kobo for PC, etc, or the OS/file system offerings. On the odd occasion they need a book converted, edited, whatever... they send it to me.

Less than 2% of calibre users use Unix or Linux. And I suspect a fair proportion of them use calibre's command line utilities exclusively. So if a market for Calibre Lite exists (and I think it does), then its widest appeal will be with Windows and OSX users. So, any software used in delivering an alternative UI would have to target those platforms. Ideally of course, it would use the same software that calibre uses today, there's a list at ==>> calibre - About.

- Kovid has indicated he hopes to deliver a multi-user client/server version of calibre. Something like your proposal could fit neatly into that scenario. The server would have the full Calibre UI available, and the clients could have Calibre Lite.

FWIW : I don't particularly like the 'flat earth' look. Ideally one would avoid hard-wiring any 'look' into software. It should be able to wear the latest 'look', no matter how hideous. It's inevitable, that what's avant-garde today will be passé tomorrow. and today's passé with be en vogue next week.

BR

I equate the 'flat-earth' look with shiny suits, especially when worn with a brocade overcoat, and fluoro lime sneakers

[HarryT]

How would you display series information? That's one of the most important aspects of Calibre for me. Book covers look pretty, but a list view displays a lot more information.

[DrChiper]

In general, I like the idea and design

Originally Posted by kevzapata7

Of course, there will be a lot of work to do.

But that said: are you capable and foremost willingly to maintain and support it for the next years to come? Otherwise it is already obsolete by design.