[mythtv-users] Is there still a global padding option?

[Craig Treleaven]

At 11:41 PM +1000 10/2/12, Michael Watson wrote:
>On 2/10/2012 9:57 PM, Craig Treleaven wrote:
>>At 12:51 PM +1000 10/2/12, Michael Watson wrote:
>>>Does a car need toe in adjustments, just because the average 
>>>"user" does not know what it does?
>>
>>OK, you've said that a couple of times but it is a complete 
>>fallacy. This is not a 'setting' in any normal sense of the 
>>word--it is a repair item.  Toe-in is set at the factory when the 
>>car is built. Correction requires a trained mechanic with 
>>specialized equipment. The nearest analogy to Myth is a user 
>>building from source and applying local patches.  Wait...that is 
>>perfectly possible with Myth and does not need another (UI) setting!
>
>"Fallacy??".  It is a setting adjusted by "tuners" and suspension 
>technicians.  Changing toe in settings can dramatically change the 
>handling of a vehicle, and can be changed by a "user" who knows what 
>they are doing.  "Specialized equipment" can be purchased from good 
>auto stores.  Reasons for changing it include different wheel/tyre 
>sizes, different load conditions, different driving conditions, 
>adjustment for wear n tear.
>
>With this in mind, the are many places where this analogy can be 
>applied to Myth, for instance; the number of "virtual tuners", the 
>tuning delay for channel changes, even the color and/or size of 
>fonts.

But we're talking about user-facing interface options.  Or are you 
arguing that automobiles are deficient because they don't have a 
"toe-in" knob on the dashboard.  And, of course, you'd also have to 
have "camber" and "alignment" knobs too!

Cars used to have controls like a spark advance lever.  Improvements 
in ignition systems made them unnecessary.  This is the kind of 
improvement Mike is suggesting where you make the system smart enough 
to do the right thing for most people.  Do you really think it would 
be a good thing to have a forest of levers and knobs on a car's dash? 
Can you teach 16 year old's how to optimize the spark advance?  Is 
that going to work better than electronic or computerized ignition? 
Should we have to adjust toe-in, camber and alignment every time we 
start the car?  Or continuously while driving?

If some particular user has unique needs, maybe they need to find a 
software system that better matches their circumstances.  Or maintain 
their own local patches if they're capable of 'adjusting the toe-in'. 
Trying to make Myth handle everything for everybody is probably the 
best way to make it unusable for most people.

Craig