June 18, 2004
A Real Buggy One
It seems that RealNetwork needs to hire some design professionals to keep their RealOne product updated. It is really disappointing to see the RealOne Player's buggy interface under the slick Panther, a real buggy GUI beside the shiny brushed metals of Mac OS 10.3. I guess the only advantage of RealPlayer's GUI is its Icon, not its semi Aqua greenish interface, though it probably looks great under Microsoft Windows. RealNetwork is probably not aware of the new Apple Human Interface Guideline.
Just take a look at the latest build of VLC Media Player, specially at the "Top Buttons", side curves, also control keys and compare them with RealOne player. Where are the standards gone? I understand, RealNetwork wants ONE player for all the platforms, but apparently they are not obeying some basic rules. Every operating system must have its own rules, so "Users can accomplish their tasks quickly".
In fact, many applications including RealOne Player, still look old, while Panther uses a new GUI under its unique standard interface.
Posted by Shaahin at June 18, 2004 11:25 PM
agha jan salam,
your website is great, would you like to exchange link!? :) why don't you answer your mobile ?
As you said it's difficult to maintain different interfaces on different platforms, but I agree that at least they should polish their interface a bit more. In general RealOne's interface looks like nothing, maybe a cheap chinese car stereo, one that even dale-dozdz wouldn't nick :-))
Something new came to my mind after reading the new version of Apple Interface Guidelines that you linked to. Based on the explicit example in Apple Developer's website, Brushed Metal is not a suitable interface for "Mellel", they should change it to Aqua. And actually Apple people are right, Brushed Metal makes Mellel look heavier. Isn't it?
