[Messiahtosh]

Why doesnt Apple use the same magnification effect that it employs with the Dock, in iTunes or in other such applications where searching through massive lists is the norm. I would love it if I could be scrolling through iTunes and then hold down a button while scrolling that would cause the songs to raise up and be more easily seen.

Good idea?

[feend]

Yes!

Example implemented in XUL. Only works in Mozilla based browsers (and didn't work for me in Firefox 0.9):
http://surfmind.com/lab/exscade/

Java implementation (it's not obvious but there are four drop down menus at the top that implement different mechanisms including the Dock-like 'Fisheye'):
http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/fisheyeme...enu-demo.shtml

Discussion about how to use this to make PDA's more usable (unfortunately the images don't appear to have been archived):
http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000290.php

There's plenty of good reading linked from those pages too if your interested in this kind of thing.

[Eugene]

It's terrible from the usability standpoint because it creates dynamic targets. If you move the pointer the object changes size. Heisenberg would cringe! It's only there to make the Dock usable when there's a TON of icons because the Dock can't bleed off the screen. Not only do you have to deal with the acceleration of the pointing device, but also the speed changes involved in the accordion/magnification effect.

With a list like a playlist in iTunes, there is no limit like the sides of the screen to worry about. The little invention called the scrollbar negates the need for such a hack. When you make one portion "more easily seen" you're actually making another portion hard to see. Obscuring the rest of the list around the focused area can be quite detrimental to scanning/browsing speed.

As well if you have a huge list, it's best to use an alternate way to navigate it. The hierarchical method in one of the examples can be emulated with a TypeAheadFind implementation.

[ast3r3x]

I cringe when I see people have their dock filled with apps...as small as can be (or so I imagine) and have it magnify to 128x128 *insert barfing emoticon*

I try to have it magnify just a tiny bit to add emphasis to a icon, not to have it move

[BuonRotto]

I set my Dock only to enlarge if the dock icons go below a certain size. My default icon size is 48 x 48 and magnification only starts at 32 x 32. That's how I think magnification is supposed to be used. In reality, my magnification setting should be more like 24 x 24, but it is kinds cool for the few times it's needed.