Is a gtk version possible?

[frandavid100]

Hi,

Calibre is the best thing that has happened to me since I bought my Reader. I am a Gnome user and I wonder if there will ever be a version for the gnome desktop, which uses gtk and follows the gnome interface guidelines.

Thanks.

[kovidgoyal]

There are no plans for one.

[frandavid100]

I made a quick mockup with a few general ideas, in case there are ever plans for one:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_49lyUbkK9k...ntallazo-2.png

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by frandavid100

I made a quick mockup with a few general ideas, in case there are ever plans for one:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_49lyUbkK9k...ntallazo-2.png

Quite nice actually, but mising a few things. I was considering doing a mock up too just the other date.

I was thinking along similar lines though. There is to much wasted space on the current UI. But, I doubt we could come up with something everyone likes. I would like to see smaller fonts though in the UI or at least less which space in each row in the grid/list... and the ability to remove the icons in the tag browser.

BOb

[frandavid100]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Quite nice actually, but mising a few things.

That's likely, since it was intended as just a general concept. What do you find is missing exactly? I basically put in all the obvious pieces and the ones I use, but didn't stop and think what others might be missing in it.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by frandavid100

That's likely, since it was intended as just a general concept. What do you find is missing exactly? I basically put in all the obvious pieces and the ones I use, but didn't stop and think what others might be missing in it.

I don't see a way to turn on cover flow.

I don't see a way to switch from icons view to list view. I rarely use icon view for anything.

I also don't see a place that displays the job(s) and/or bring up the status window.

I don't see a way to bring up the config. But that could be menu driven.. I know on the Mac most native Mac apps have a "preferences pane" that is brought up from the menu or by pressing ⌘, Although that doesn't work in calibre.

BOb

[frandavid100]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I don't see a way to turn on cover flow.

I don't see a way to switch from icons view to list view. I rarely use icon view for anything.

I also don't see a place that displays the job(s) and/or bring up the status window.

I don't see a way to bring up the config. But that could be menu driven.. I know on the Mac most native Mac apps have a "preferences pane" that is brought up from the menu or by pressing ⌘, Although that doesn't work in calibre.

BOb

True. Well, you could always add a menubar. A view combobox (similar to nautilus) could also deal with the first two issues, and another toolbar button could take care of the last one. That would make too many buttons, though.

[carpii]

Isnt it a bit irrelevant anyway, since there are no plans to do a Gtk version?

Theres nothing to stop you writing your own I guess. Personally I dont see what a Gtk version would add to Calibre.
I dont think it suffers from the interface being written in Python, infact its more usable than many GTk apps I can think of

[frandavid100]

Originally Posted by carpii

Isnt it a bit irrelevant anyway, since there are no plans to do a Gtk version?

Indeed. But there's nothing wrong in asking for someone's opinion just for the sake of it, is it?

Originally Posted by carpii

Theres nothing to stop you writing your own I guess. Personally I dont see what a Gtk version would add to Calibre.
I dont think it suffers from the interface being written in Python, infact its more usable than many GTk apps I can think of

There is just one thing I don't like a lot in Calibre and it's the interface. IMHO it wastes lots of space, with those giant buttons, and the link to the webpage in the middle of the main window, and stuff.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by frandavid100

There is just one thing I don't like a lot in Calibre and it's the interface. IMHO it wastes lots of space, with those giant buttons, and the link to the webpage in the middle of the main window, and stuff.

There's a config option to reduce the size of the icons.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

There's a config option to reduce the size of the icons.

But, only in the toolbar. This big area here:



And this one here:




Really take up [waste] alot of space.

BOb

[kovidgoyal]

The bottom area is to show book details/cover thumbnails, I don't see why that is a waste of space. As for the top area, it only wastes space if you make your calibre window very wide. And I really don't see how that can be improved without decreasing usability.

I should say that I'm not a fan of overly compressed and cluttered interfaces. For me, an ideal interface is one that exposes often used functions prominently. These prominent functions should act as gateways to more detailed information/functions.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The bottom area is to show book details/cover thumbnails, I don't see why that is a waste of space.

True, but it is wasted if you aren't looking at that info... and there is no way to collapse it.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

As for the top area, it only wastes space if you make your calibre window very wide. And I really don't see how that can be improved without decreasing usability.

Actually, I am talking about the verticle space (height of it) not the width of it. Once again, having a way to collapse it would help.

But, did you look at the markup linked to in message 5? The tab bar is just as usable. If you want icons you could put them in the tabs too... You could also have options to have no icon, icon only, etc.

I guess on the Mac... having these collapsible toolbars is pretty normal. While it is not on other OSes. For example, on Firefox mac I can collapse the tool bar by pressing the little "collapse icon" in the top right corner. But, firefox for windows doesn't have this (although you can go full screen which the mac version doesn't have).

Just some ideas.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Just another point. Take iTunes for example, (I think it works the same on Mac and Windows). There are three "views" when looking at your library. The "list" view only shows the grid from top to bottom. Then the "grid" view shows the icons with basic info under each. Finally the cover flow view shows the list with the coverflow at the top. You always have to click into an item to get the summary (get info). Also, you can show/hide the "browser" when you are in list mode.

The buttons to switch from view to view are very small to the left of the search bar and rather than labels they have tool tips to describe what they do.

Although I do think iTunes could be improved if the "get info" dialog wasn't modal so you could move from item to item and it would be kept in sync.

BOb

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Actually, I am talking about the verticle space (height of it) not the width of it. Once again, having a way to collapse it would help.

But, did you look at the markup linked to in message 5? The tab bar is just as usable. If you want icons you could put them in the tabs too... You could also have options to have no icon, icon only, etc.

I disagree, The list view as opposed to a tab bar allows the display of more information (number of books in the library, free space on the device). It also makes the fact that there are device and library views more discoverable and thus enhances usability for novice users.

Making the info panel collapsible is a good idea. I'll get around to it when I next work on the UI