Elevayta Space Boy (and others) - opinions wanted

[Kitchen Sink]

Umm... I'll have to write a rant now. Here goes.

I know it's a new type of plugin, but the ideas aren't completely new, and the application domain certainly isn't. I'd very much like an un-obfuscation of the user interface. The current user manual is essentially an Elevayta -> English dictionary. Learn yourself a new language. Aside from describing these "funny" words and telling what you could have told in tooltips (the yellow boxes that appear in normal programs when you hold the mouse pointer over something), there's little purpose for the manual.

How about translating the language back to English like this:

Wormholes: competing frequencies? frequency collisions? crashes? overcrowded spots?
There's no worm, no hole, no wormhole. The only connection that I can see is, in science fiction "wormholes" are found in space, which is a part of the plugin's name.
I know basic DSP, so you could have even said "cross-correlation peaks" and I would have understood, but wormholes... Oh my.

Space Gain: Rx Track Gain

Space Window: Operating Frequency Window.

Humidity: Wet/Dry ratio
This is just incredible. How can you use a word like Humidity for Wet/Dry ratio. Because this is a new type of plugin, you decided to re-invent all mixing-related words?

Deep Space: overdrive mode? boost mode? power? strength?

Receive: two-way switch, "Transmit" and "Receive". This would even get rid of the Tx and Rx indicators, because the switch is an indicator at the same time.

Space It!: EQ processing On/Off?

Space Walk: Tx Spectrum Averaging Speed?

Walk: Tx Spectrum Averaging On/Off

Space Depth: Maximum Attenuation?

Space Threshold: Threshold

"Outer Space" page: Outer what? I have no idea what this means. As far as I'm concerned, it wouldn't make any difference if it was labelled Jimmy Page.

Space Sync: Sample Accurate Sync

Apart from the plugin's name, these "space" words are completely unnecessary and have a negative impact on understandability. The plugin performs a sensible, human-understandable operation, which can be described in already existing human languages just fine. (as the manual shows)

Sorry for the rant, but you have brilliant plugins, and making the user interfaces incomprehensible feels like spoiling them. If you improve the UIs, I'm sure you'll get a LOT more sales and happy users.

The names do actually relate to their functionality.

Why contend with "relate" when it could be "describe"? Btw, in some cases the relation is so distant, I'd need a Space Telescope to see that far.

It's just that you never had this kind of functionality in a plug-in before.

Well almost, for instance in Steinberg FreeFilter and Voxengo CurveEQ, the only difference being that SpaceBoy adapts to new spectrums in realtime, instead of equalizing to a static spectrum. The cross correlation is new in VST plugins, but not a new idea as such.

That's sometimes the problem with innovation - it takes a while for the lingo to catch on.

The first rule (or the second at least) of user interface design is: don't invent your own interface components. Use something that the users are already familiar with or can immediately grasp. Everything in SpaceBoy can be described in common terms used in audio engineering. The concepts aren't rocket science, even though there's so much space stuff.

[deastman]

The concepts aren't rocket science, even though there's so much space stuff.

I work for an aerospace company, and I still get confused by all the SpaceBoy terminology!

I have to respect your right as the developer to name your parameters any way you want. That said, I suspect if you took a poll of all the registered users, you'd find a high level of frustration due to your naming convention. I own a lot of your plugins, and find SpaceBoy a particularly useful tool when it comes to mastering. Unfortunately, I don't get to the mastering stage often enough with my songs , and by the time I do, I've forgotten what all your parameters actually mean. I'm usually too lazy to pull up the manual, and end up just poking around for a while, trying to figure it out on my own.

By the way, here's a new product idea that I think would fit well for you- how about a drum replacement/sample triggering plugin that uses your stereo spectrum/frequency spectrum isolation interface to assign sample triggers?

[Kitchen Sink]

I suspect you're not talking to me?

Btw, I wonder why the Latency value isn't called Space Latency, for completeness' sake.

But to be honest, I don't completely understand even the preset names. Space Mud? Should that be self-describing? Vocal Space? Is there really a reason for the word "Space" being attached to every other word? Would it Space Make Space Normal Space Text any Space Better? At least I don't Space Feel like it.

[Space Boy]

I suspect you're not talking to me?

We're not talking, we're writing - why don't you use the correct terms?

Now Space Sink -> Kitchen Sink

Thanks for the candid comments.

I'm rather surprised that, after complaining that you don't know (or remember) what the buttons on Space Boy do, you actually gave an excellent list in explanation. Be sure to leave the post in tact because I intend to add a tutorial page to my product page, and I'd like to use some of the translations.

I also have to disagree with you on your comments over the current user manual (V2.07). All the buttons, and their functionality, are explained in plain English. A use case is also provided. So, for example, the explanation of the functionality of the "Wormholes" button etc. is made quite clear (see page 6 at bottom) - kind of like you described it above.

I'm not going to argue about the difference between ideas and realized innovation. Assuming you are indeed one of my customers, I'm pretty sure you bought Space Boy for good reason (i.e. not because it was just an idea on paper). You probably didn't care less about the words on the buttons at time of purchase. So, here's something I learned - changing the nomenclature on the UI is not likely to affect my sales one iota (more likely to alienate much of my existing user base). Changing the appearance of the UI, and adding more functionality does affect sales - this much I do know.

The other rule of UI design is: Don't change a UI design (on a popular product) on the basis of only one or two opinions. There are ways of testing a UI and determining, in an objective manner, what works and what doesn't. Up to now, I have not received any significant negative feedback on the nomenclature, and Space Boy, which is a popular product for me, has been around for some time.

The other aspect of Space Boy is this - It is meant to do a complex task in an easy way. It's as complex or as simple as you want it to be. Out of the box, it has the optimum settings for most purposes and so you rarely should need to touch a button or slider. The presets were put there on the request of specific users who mailed me with settings that they preferred in order to achieve certain "classic" effects that they used to do using other more laborious ways.

Two quotes:

the only difference being that SpaceBoy adapts to new spectrums in realtime, instead of equalizing to a static spectrum. The cross correlation is new in VST plugins.

Errr....you spelled it out (you have been reading the manual) . You highlighted two out of the three (the third is the Tx/Rx communication) essential features of Space Boy, not before available in any other product in this field (hardware or software) - that's technically the definition of innovation.

The concepts aren't rocket science

First, they aren't concepts - they've been realized. Second, don't listen to what people tell you about rocket science - it's really easy.

[Compyfox]

To be honest, I'm kinda overloaded with the GUI namings, too. Well.. what about a compromise?

Why not offer a skin with the "space" descriptions, and one with regular ones? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

[deastman]

I suspect you're not talking to me?

Sorry, I started off with one thought in response to you, and ended up getting carried away responding to Space Boy instead.

Up to now, I have not received any significant negative feedback on the nomenclature, and Space Boy, which is a popular product for me, has been around for some time.

Quite honestly, I love what your product does so much, it never crossed my mind to complain... even though the labels are very esoteric.

Second, don't listen to what people tell you about rocket science - it's really easy.

Granted, I'm not real strong on math, but I have to disagree with this. Part of my job involves shooting and editing videos of training classes our senior engineers teach, to familiarize other engineers with various aspects of rocket science... there are millions of equations and factors to consider when designing satellite hardware and software, rocket motors, orbital paths, etc. Watching these instructors really blows my mind. Loading a pointy cylinder with fuel and lighting a fuse is simple, but getting functional satellites into orbit is NOT.

[Space Boy]

there are millions of equations and factors to consider when designing satellite hardware and software, rocket motors, orbital paths, etc.

I doubt there are millions (no offence). Rocket flight is governed by a few basic scientific (ballistic) relationships. The other details are related to chemical engineering, materials science, aerodynamics, communication, control theory, environmental engineering, life support, software architecture and plain mechanical engineering. Don't get me wrong, it fascinates me, and there have been some amazing achievements - but there is no such thing as "rocket science" per se and the science involved in making rockets fly is neither more or less complex than any other branch of science.

So, while the concepts that have been realized by Space Boy may seem obvious (now that it exists) - getting there was not a trvial exercise.

Easy or hard, it's mostly a question of familiarity and experience. That's why you make videos of the senior engineers to train the other engineers.

Complex equations or otherwise - the difficulty, or not, of realizing something new is not at all related to having the imagination to pursue it in the first place.

"Anyone can go into a studio for a couple of hours a day, take loads of drugs, twiddle a few knobs, whack it all on a CD and call it a finished album but invariably the end result sounds like what it is - lazy and ill-judged." -Alan Wilder

your signature kinda' reflects the same point of view.

P.S. I used to build and fly my own rockets when I was younger. I occassionally think I would like to work for NASA - but only because the weather is better than in the Netherlands.

[bleebsen]

FWIW, I mostly agree with Kitchen Sink.

I've been demoing SpaceBoy some time before, and I remember being turned off by the GUI and parameters, too ("Wormhole? wtf?").
It may be the most innovative plugin ever, but it looks and feels unprofessional to me, which is a pity.

yours
bleeb

[Kitchen Sink]

I'm rather surprised that, after complaining that you don't know (or remember) what the buttons on Space Boy do, you actually gave an excellent list in explanation.

I read the explanations from the manual (once again) when I wrote those short descriptions. It's all based on your own text. Before re-reading it I didn't have any clue. I had already forgotten everything about it (again). Re-reading manuals for "funny" UIs is not fun, but for the sake of this discussion I had to do it.

Be sure to leave the post in tact because I intend to add a tutorial page to my product page, and I'd like to use some of the translations.

Rather than adding a tutorial, consider adding tooltips. Tutorials are fine too, but not nearly as good as something that's right there in the user interface.

I also have to disagree with you on your comments over the current user manual (V2.07). All the buttons, and their functionality, are explained in plain English.

Yes and that's what I said: "as the manual shows", i.e. the manual describes it all, even though it could have been described in the plugin itself just as well. For some reason, you have wanted to give the functions funny names, instead of descriptive ones, and to make it even worse, not use tooltips.

So, for example, the explanation of the functionality of the "Wormholes" button etc. is made quite clear (see page 6 at bottom) - kind of like you described it above.

Why fix it with a manual if it doesn't have to be broken in the first place? The chances are quite small that I would open a plugin that I already know is going to require me to re-read the manual once again. It's just frustrating. I rather try something else first. (my honest personal opinion)

Assuming you are indeed one of my customers, I'm pretty sure you bought Space Boy for good reason

I bought it because the idea was so excellent and because the price was absolutely right for me. The first time I tried it, I was thrilled with the results. But by the second time I had already forgotten how to use it. Not because the ideas would really require new made-up names, but because you had just wanted to do it that way.

Btw, English is not my first language, so actually I just meant "idea", not "concept".

You probably didn't care less about the words on the buttons at time of purchase.

You know what, at the time I bought it, I thought there was an actual reason behind such obscure function names. But after spending last night re-reading the manual, I now realize that it isn't so at all.

So, here's something I learned - changing the nomenclature on the UI is not likely to affect my sales one iota (more likely to alienate much of my existing user base).

I can understand that. Changing something that your customers are already familiar with would be bad - especially since they've obviously spent so much time learning these new words.

The other rule of UI design is: Don't change a UI design (on a popular product) on the basis of only one or two opinions.

Yes indeed, and I'm not asking you to do that. What you could do however, is enable skinning so that I could write myself button labels that I could understand.

Maybe it would be possible to "encapsulate" SpaceBoy in a SynthEdit plugin so that I could replace the difficult texts?

Up to now, I have not received any significant negative feedback on the nomenclature, and Space Boy, which is a popular product for me, has been around for some time.

The absence of proof is not a proof of absence. I'd guess you're not getting more complaints about the UI, because
- propeller-head DAW geeks are willing to put up with just about any kind of UI
- the price is so low, it lowers people's expectations and demands

The other aspect of Space Boy is this - It is meant to do a complex task in an easy way.

Yes indeed - so why make it so difficult to use.

Out of the box, it has the optimum settings for most purposes and so you rarely should need to touch a button or slider.

And how should I have known this?

Errr....you spelled it out (you have been reading the manual) . You highlighted two out of the three (the third is the Tx/Rx communication) essential features of Space Boy, not before available in any other product in this field (hardware or software) - that's technically the definition of innovation.

In the hardware side, Tx/Rx communication is the basis of everything. Audio cables exist for Tx/Rx communication. And what comes to software and VST plugins, Tx/Rx communication was available years before SpaceBoy at least in Dave Brown's sidechaining compressor as well as one TC compressor plugin (I've forgot the name). If Steinberg's VST "spec" wasn't so limited, the whole Tx/Rx communication thing wouldn't be needed at all, so I don't think it's any kind of a breakthrough innovation in the field.

SpaceBoy does something I'd call "Realtime Adaptive Spectrum Matching and Fitting". Do you agree? By "fitting" I mean the thing that's supposed to be done with the cross-correlation, i.e. finding overcrowded frequencies and making room for them in the Rx track. I think fitting is a reasonably descriptive term. Or would "accommodation" be better?

Second, don't listen to what people tell you about rocket science - it's really easy.

LOL

[Kitchen Sink]

Easy or hard, it's mostly a question of familiarity and experience. That's why you make videos of the senior engineers to train the other engineers.

But I wonder if NASA would label a dry/wet mix control as "dry/wet mix" or "humidity".

Edit: Now I get it!!! I suddenly realized where "humidity" comes from! When air is humid, it is WET. Oh please. And I actually KNEW what humidity means, it was just in a completely different context than I've ever seen it before.

Please keep in mind that tha vast majority of the people who speak English, speak it as a second or third or fourht language. Native speakers are a minority, which is diminishing all the time relative to non-native speakers. And I doubt if even most native speakers get the connection between "humidity" and "dry/wet mix".

[Space Boy]

I've been demoing SpaceBoy some time before, and I remember being turned off by the GUI and parameters, too ("Wormhole? wtf?").

There is no "Wormhole" feature in the demo.

On the professional look and feel point, I am currently working on this aspect. However, this is costing me quite some effort and money. So, when I'm finished, Space Boy is unlikely to cost just $19.95.

A more professional look and feel is going to cost money I'm afraid. Graphic designers are more expensive than physicists.

[Space Boy]

But I wonder if NASA would label a dry/wet mix control as "dry/wet mix" or "humidity".

Edit: Now I get it!!! I suddenly realized where "humidity" comes from! When air is humid, it is WET. Oh please. And I actually KNEW what humidity means, it was just in a completely different context than I've ever seen it before.

Ah, you got it - context is important. To be honest, there is no good reason why to use "dry/wet mix". This is something I associate with painting a house (the paint is either wet or dry), washing my clothes or baking a cake - not with mixing audio material - who ever first called it that? The physical context of wet and dry together is nonsense.

Adding too much effects makes your audio wet? - wtf?

I hate conventions, sorry, that's the rebel in me.

NASA, btw, would probably use "humidity".

RASP = Real Time Adaptive Spectral Processing - That's what I call it.

[Kitchen Sink]

I hate conventions

Yeah, I've noticed.

[deastman]

I think most people would lump all aspects of aerospace under "rocket science" (just a made-up term anyway), not strictly rocket ballistics. But I'm so far off topic here, let's just drop it.

I did get the "Humidity" joke... which is exactly what I thought it was- a humorous replacement for wet/dry.

How about if I trade my graphic design skills for some better parameter names?

[Space Boy]

How about if I trade my graphic design skills for some better parameter names?

Better? - don't you mean different?

BTW, I'm considering to add the feature of allowing custom parameter names in a future release.

Where can I find an example of a VST GUI that you have designed?