[pulseaudio-discuss] Saving stream volumes per physical output

[David Kågedal]

Lennart Poettering <lennart at poettering.net> writes:

> Oh, two hearts beat in my chest.
>
> On one hand I think yes, the apps too should show the device volume
> since that is mroe likely what people want to change. But then on the
> other I think if we show something at all, we probably should show
> something that is not completely redundant and that amkes sense for
> someone who did understand the idea of stream and device volumes. If
> we'd show the devcie volume in the apps this would be redundant, since
> the usual volume hotkeys/notification icon handle/show that anyway,
> and it is kinda surprising if an in-app volume changes the other
> volumes too.
>
> So, I guess in the end I am a little bit more leaning to the side that
> the apps should show per-stream volumes. 

We (you) need to think of what the mental model for the user interface
is.

I see the applications on the screen in a similar way as gadgets on my
real desk, it would seem strange if when I turned down the volume on the
radio in the desk corner, it also turned down the volume of the alarm
clock in the other corner.

The device volume is not always interesting at all, since I might have
sent the audio to an amp with a hardware volume knob. Then it really
doesn't make sens to control anything else than stream volumes (or
"application volumes" as the user sees it) from the computer screen.

The rules would of course be very different if I was using an N900 or
something similar.

-- 
David Kågedal