[neoCrimeLabs]

One of the worst volume controls I have run across is when the UI tries to simulate a physical knob. More often than not I see this on VST Plugins and I have yet to find one that I actually like - they are all equally terrible.

They appear to fall into 3 buckets:

1) Worst: Direction of the cursor has move in a circular pattern as if dragging a physical knob with a cursor.

2) Annoying, but least common: You have to move the cursor horizontally to move the knob

3) Most common, but still annoying: You have to move the cursor vertically to move the knob.

[the_biot]

Common in desktop software for controlling measurement gear like oscilloscopes. Those have actual knobs on the equipment, so the software does the same thing and it's the worst thing ever.

[joe_the_user]

Yeah, your 1 option is actually worse than some of parody submissions. What makes it truly horrific is that it works just enough to get you to put your thumb into muscle spasms trying to do it.