Principles

Ladybug Player^XP designed with the rules of simplicity, usability, and consistency in mind. All the features are carefully selected and refined. Ease of use is a major goal of a system design.

User interface is consistent with the standard Windows. That is when Ladybug Player XP runs on Windows98 it uses the native look and feel of Windows98; when it runs on Windows XP it uses the native GUI of Windows XP.

Layers

Video playback controls are divided into three layers. The first layer, video window, displays the video content. There may have a title bar and a status bar on this layer. The second layer is called NBar: a separated control bar like a handheld controller of VCR. You can set cofiguration and get status from the last layer. The third layer is the option controls.

Extensible

An application should provide an interface for other applications to use its functions. Ladybug Player allows video fit to any size of windows. For example, when you have a wide flat monitor the video fits on entire screen like a movie screen.

Interface Design

In the site "Interface Hall of Shame", the interface experts analyzed many interfaces. They reveal a number of important axioms for those contemplating a real-world design metaphor:

• You cannot think out of the box when you are trying to copy a box.



• It takes a tremendous amount of skill to make a real-world metaphor work, but only a modicum of intelligence to realize that one shouldn't even try.



• Objects designed to be operated with fingers and thumbs were not designed to be operated with mice and keyboards.



• Industrial designers try to produce designs that are pleasing to the eye; interface designers try to product designs that make the user's task easier.