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

[Michael Watson]

On 3/10/2012 12:57 AM, Craig Treleaven wrote:
> 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!

Merely stating, that even though most people have no need/knowledge of 
an option, doesn't mean it should not exist.  For some options/settings 
there is need for the ability to change the default behavior.
PS.  It is Camber, Caster and Toe-In / Toe-Out.  Alignment is the 
layman's term for the adjustment of all three settings.

>
> 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?

And frustrating for those that the defaults do not work for (aka Apple 
devices).  No we dont need a "forest of levers", but we do need the 
ability to change/disable to smarts/defaults, and provide our own 
without having to modify code and recompile.  Not on every minute 
option, but those where there is a chance that the default setting will 
not suit everybody, or a chance that the "smarts" will be wrong.

Interesting to note, but new cars have many more "levers" than older cars.

Even with electronic/computerized ignition, it is still possible to 
change "spark advance", once again, the average user has no need for it, 
but some require/desire it.  On some cars this can be done by uploading 
new ignition maps, others require fitting aftermarket ignition systems, 
or piggy back ignition systems, or simply adding a resistor in the right 
place.

>
> 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
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