Feature Request: Splash Screen

[knightmb]

Mainly for the average user. I've noticed sometimes Bit Coin can take a while to start before you even see the GUI, which I know it's just doing some disk I/O stuff, catching up with the network, etc.

I figured it would be helpful if the first thing that poped up was a BitCoin splash screen with "loading...." or something written on it so the average Bit Coin user won't start it twice or three times by accident. 

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[Quantumplation]

:-S I always see the screen as SOON as I start it, and THEN it does all the disk i/o, connecting, etc stuff.

[knightmb]

:-S I always see the screen as SOON as I start it, and THEN it does all the disk i/o, connecting, etc stuff.

I do as well, but some windows machines I've noticed that they sometimes seem to be doing the disk I/O first before the GUI comes up. Mainly if the program has been running for a while, you exit the client, then come back a few minutes/hours/etc later and start the client again, it does that.

[Quantumplation]

Hm, never noticed it here.  But yea, a splash screen wouldn't be too bad an idea for those people who are experiencing that issue.

[lachesis]

-1

Sorry, but splash screens are fairly annoying. My software starts fast and I don't want to see a flicker of a splash screen, or worse, wait for it to show itself and delay my programs' startup.

[knightmb]

-1

Sorry, but splash screens are fairly annoying. My software starts fast and I don't want to see a flicker of a splash screen, or worse, wait for it to show itself and delay my programs' startup.

I'm not referring to an animated splash screen, it could be a simple "loading" box, just so I know not to click the icon again thinking that I missed, start up a second instance that will close because it detected another instance was still running. 

[dete]

Seriously?  A splash screen?

The current BitCoin client is an awesome proof-of-concept, and a decent first pass to get the network "into beta".

However, I think that "fixing" the client with things like a splash screen is wasted effort.  Let's put our time and energy into a portable core BitCoin engine, and define a way of creating LOTS of different clients that interface into it.

But, you know... adding a splash screen is probably pretty easy...

[knightmb]

The devs need not fret over this request, I'm sure someone could whip one up and submit it to them, but I figured I would throw it out there.

[Deafboy]

So... Things has changed, and we have a splash screen in 0.5.X in unofficial PPA.
Not so well looking splash screen in my opinion.

I just leave this here:
http://deafboy.cicolina.org/igelitka/btc-logo/

Feel free to edit and use. (.xcf files inside 7z archive)

[Therilith]

So... Things has changed, and we have a splash screen in 0.5.X in unofficial PPA.
Not so well looking splash screen in my opinion.

I just leave this here:
http://deafboy.cicolina.org/igelitka/btc-logo/

Feel free to edit and use. (.xcf files inside 7z archive)

I like splash2. Looks way better than the current one.

[btc_artist]

I actually don't like spash screens.  I don't like how they invariably obscure part of your desktop and cannot be moved/minimized.  This is a UI fail in my opinion.  Instead, the application should create and display the application window immediately (even if it's empty), and display a progress bar in it to show that things are being loaded/initialized.  The benefit of this is that the user can move/minimize the window if needed, and it's not unilaterally blocking part of the desktop or windows behind it.

TL;DR Splash screens are a UI fail because they unilaterally block what's behind them.

Edit: Note that this splash screen feature request is not really asking for a splash screen per se, it's asking for the client to show some kind of visual evidence that it has started, before all the loading/initializing is completed.  This can be accomplished by simply showing the app window instead of a splash screen.

[jake262144]

On my Windows7 laptop, bitcoin begins with the disk IO housekeeping stuff and it's a few seconds before the window launches.
The last thing I want is for a splash screen to get in my way :<
If this feature gets implemented I kindly request it be user-configurable in the Options menu.
-1

[P4man]

+1 for a simple small splash screen. It often takes 5+ seconds on my machine before the UI shows up and Im never sure if its launching or not. Making it optional is fine by me, but set it on by default.

As for it getting in the way, it doesnt have to float on top of all other windows.

[zellfaze]

I think I prefer the idea of opening up some sort of window instead of a splash screen.  The window could even look Splash screenish, but it needs to be able to be moved and minimized.

http://sharepointjavascript.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/sendmailwithjavascript_new_window_splash_error.jpg
A window of about this size would be fine. Just something to tell people what is going on.

[MatthewLM]

On Macs the bouncing icon is good enough to know the program is loading. No need for a splash screen at all. Luckily you can get off them by switching programs on Macs.