I don’t necessarily think rotating nodes is a good idea, it breaks with the concept that inputs are at the top of nodes and outputs are at the bottom of nodes.
And to be honest, I think the old way in your examples is easier to read and the vertical node has an input and an output at the bottom next to each other as the only node in the patch.
Hi iixd, imho main issue with your idea is patches readability. With time you will forget the direction of rotation, and in complex patches, or with just few framedelay nodes, you will have problems understanding logic, being difficult to distinguish between inlet and outlets.
Now think about this from the point of view of others that have to read your code.
I may agree if it would be ccw rot, inlets left, outlets right, but it would be just a way to style patches, with non effective results on patching itself (but for a visual break in code, like: “this part of logic ends here, a new slice of login starting on the right”; which can be already achieved, somehow).
In the end, this could have few uses, but I’d say you should dig some more, thinking better about all implications.
I think having a consistent convention for building patches is a good thing. Be it top-to-bottom like in vvvv or left-to-right like in Quartz or Grasshopper. But mixing it makes stuff harder to read imho.
Now what WOULD be great and help especially with large patches, would be to get zooming like in the Finder. Even better if it would be “smart”-zooming like in Grasshopper (ie. it fades out the names when zooming further out).
I still don’t understand the reason why there isn’t any zooming since the very first version, especially with nodes and inputs/outputs being like 2x2px small. It’s clearly possible technically, as illustrated by the Finder. It would also mean I could finally work in vvvv on my rMBP again, without needing a magnifying glass…
Oh well, one day…
Friday-ideas are a good thing, but best to leave them till monday to see if you still think they are great ;P