2012/1/15 Darrell Anderson <humanreadable@...>: >> > For a while I have been pondering the cosmetic and >> artwork related changes >> > we should try and work on for R14. Unlike most >> projects, we are rather >> > nostalgic, so going flat out new won't work for us. A >> new default theme or >> > such is not advisable. Users won't like it. I think we >> should instead focus >> > on creating an improved R14 style. A theme consists >> of: Backgrounds, Color >> > Schemes, Fonts, Icons, Window Decorations, Widget >> Styles, and Screensavers. >> > These don't need drastic revision, instead they need >> careful changes to help >> > reflect our goals. Speed simplicity and customization >> are my top priorities. >> > >> > What do we need to improve? My vote is this >> > >> What I'd do: darken a little our current default theme. The >> colors are >> a little too much bright IMHO. >> >> Anyway I think we should look what the tendencies in other >> DE/OSes >> are, what users like and go that way. >> >> What we should avoid is making trinity look old. And by old >> I mean >> things like win9x, cde, and things like that. >> >> We should rework too our default layouts. Form what I've >> see the >> current tendency is to minimalize GUI elements, remove >> extra toolbars >> and icons on them and maximize actual workspace. I did it >> on my >> trinity installation and it works well. The rule I used is: >> if I can >> access a particular function through r-click, I don't need >> a button on >> toolbar. If I don't use it frequently I don't need it on >> toolbar. >> Those 2 rules left my with pretty much addres bar and >> back/forward >> buttons. >> >> > 1) New backgrounds - Our defaults are out of date and >> I don't really like >> > them, Every new release should see some fresh artwork. >> Users can keep the >> > old one if the prefer it. These need to be pleasant to >> view and also look >> > modern. (not to glossy though). >> > >> As I worte some time ago I could provide some photos as >> backgrounds. >> You can see them at my page (http://l0ner.github.com/photoblog/). >> Actually I prepared some of those in widescreen wallpaper >> format. I >> need only to upload those somewhere. >> >> > 2) Improved Window Decorations - I am not a fan of >> plastic. I am a fan of >> > the KDE2 window decoration. Either way we should set >> about making sure the >> > default on is in tip top shape and has max >> configuration. Should we keep >> > plastic as our default deco? >> > >> Plastic is fine. We should totally avoid using Keramik, >> since it's way >> too big and... strange(?). Window deco IMHO should be slim >> and almost >> unnoticable. Kermaik isn't. >> As it goes for KDE2 deco, it looks a little too much >> outdated and >> old-school (reminds me kinda of the win 9x style). Make the >> buttons >> flat, give it rounded corners and it should look more >> modern. >> >> > 3) Icons - I think we are OK with these. Some icons >> may need to be looked >> > over in our crystal svg set. I want to maximize visual >> efficiency of our >> > icons. Some may be unclear or hard to see at different >> sizes. This should be >> > lo >> > >> > 4) Styles - I would like to see Plastik expanded by >> including more options, >> > especially to remove stippled drawing on the tabs. any >> thoughts? >> > >> I'd opt on using Polyester rather than Plastik. It's pretty >> much >> plastik updated. >> >> 5). Color styles: atm we don't provide good looking dark >> theme. And by >> good looking i mean kinda like ubuntu one. >> Besides like I said the default one i a little too bright >> IMHO. >> >> > I think we should start thinking about this now, since >> this release will be >> > mostly bug fixes, changes like this could also be >> slipped in. > > I am old fashioned about my desktop. I never liked the plastik or keramik styles, I don't like the new oxygen designs, I don't like metal sheens. I use the KDE Classic Style and KDE2 window decorations. I still enjoy Crystal SVG icons. I don't use wallpaper. My point? > > I ask that you focus on ADDING new artwork and not taking away. > > When designing new artwork, please remember that us old farts like what we have. :) That is, new is good but old is good too. There is plenty of room in this world for both. :) > > Otherwise I want to encourage all artists to have fun with this! > > Darrell > We don't plan on removing anything. Plan is: add new artwork and default artwork settings that would appeal as modern and eye-candy to new users. > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: trinity-devel-unsubscribe@... > For additional commands, e-mail: trinity-devel-help@... > Read list messsages on the Web archive: http://trinity-devel.pearsoncomputing.net/ > Please remember not to top-post: http://trinity.pearsoncomputing.net/mailing_lists/#top-posting >