[Blog] Inside Scoop 1.8: How You Can Improve MediaPortal (1 Viewer)

[Dadeo]

Since joining the Team a few months back, I have been fascinated to learn how things work, and how to get fixes or improvements into MediaPortal.

I did not realize that would be a nice side benefit of joining the team.

I now realize that I could have done much of this without being a Team member, so I thought I would share what I have learned with everyone.

Here is my Inside Scoop v1.8 on: How You Can Improve MediaPortal

Also, here is the link to the MP1 Development Work Flow Chart in the Blog.

 

[VdR]

Very good article. Thank you. Understanding is the basis for effective co-operation. That is what makes MediaPortal the best.

VdR

 

[beowulf]

How about usability? Mediaportal 1 has a lot of issues with inconsisteny in the user interface, not following Windows standards and other things that do function but sometimes hard to understand how to find or use.

Should I list what I find or wait for Mediaportal 2?

 

[catavolt]

AW: Inside Scoop 1.8: How You Can Improve MediaPortal

@ beowulf: As has been stated clearly MP can be improved by bug reports and/or suggestions from the users. So why don´t you just state your findings in the respective bug reports thread? I think all suggestions are very welcome!

 

[tourettes]

not following Windows standards

If that is for the UI, you have to remember that lot of those recommendations from Microsoft is done having user with a mouse and keyboard where as MediaPortal (or any other HTPC frontend application) is designed mainly to be used with remote control only. Of course that wont rule out the fact that MP1's UI is full of usability issues

 

[Dadeo]

+1 Catavolt! In my observation/experience a list won't get you nearly as much action as a detailed, good bug report will. If you can give our developers enough to work with, either they, or our many great community developers, may be eager to add it or improve it in MediaPortal.

Teamwork, and communicaton, is the underlying essence of my article. So the answer is always yes, do report your findings for MP1 or for MP2.

I can give you one really good example. There is a great Forum thread about improving the Pictures feature in MediaPortal. The Team has picked up on this and in the Team brainstorming sessions for MediaPortal 2, many of these ideas have been presented for discussion. So that is another way to communicate good ideas. Start a Forum Thread for a specific issue and if many users respond and contribute, the Team will pay attention.

The Team tries to respond to the community the best they can with the resources/time available. One of the major goals, particularly for MP 1.1.0, as requested by users, was to improve stability. So that is what the Team concentrated on.

Although I personally agree with you beowulf about our user interface, just look at the bug reports, or forum posts in general. Users request far more fixes and improvements to TV than to GUI issues! Unfortunately, that means our GUI has imo fallen a bit behind. And when we look at XBMC who put most of their energy into their GUI, we are annoyed at their success. But we only have ourselves to blame, because we just moan and bitch and don't report things. I am as guilty of that as anyone!

The point is, if we want the Team to work more on GUI, a majority of users have to start reporting those issues. You can't assume the Team magically knows everything.

 

[MLH01]

Another great article Dadeo. Very informative - I didn't realise how complicated the whole process was until I opened the Work Flow Chart!



MLH01.

 

[infinite.loop]

How about usability? Mediaportal 1 has a lot of issues with inconsisteny in the user interface, not following Windows standards and other things that do function but sometimes hard to understand how to find or use.

Should I list what I find or wait for Mediaportal 2?

Improvement Suggestions - MediaPortal Forum

But please be aware that the team focuses on MP2 after the release of MP 1.1.0
So no big reworks are planed.

 

[infinite.loop]

Another great article Dadeo. Very informative - I didn't realise how complicated the whole process was until I opened the Work Flow Chart!

I hope that my flowchart is not too confusing.

 

[MLH01]

Another great article Dadeo. Very informative - I didn't realise how complicated the whole process was until I opened the Work Flow Chart!

I hope that my flowchart is not too confusing.

No, not confusing - it's a good flowchart. It just shows that there are a lot of decisions to be made with bugs, new features, improvements etc. I think this is a good thing, to make sure things stay on track and to keep MediaPortal one of the best fully-featured media app out there

MLH01.