RE: User interface suggestions

[Adrian <aferrer dit upm es>]

On Thu, 30 Nov 2000, Jörg Rathlev wrote:

> No matter what it is called, IMHO it doesn't make sense.
> 

:)

> If less used icons get greyscaled, developers won't want to choose
> black&white styled icons for their apps any longer because it will never
> receive the honor of being shown in color. The same applies to icons with
> only little color (where it would be hard to distinguish between colored
> state and greyscaled state).
> 

Humm... yes but, as we commented in previous messages, we're talking about
future, not about present. Icons will have to adapt to the interface
improvements...

> This will lead to is lots of very bright, colorful icons that distract users
> from their actual work (take a look at KDE's icons).
> 
> BTW, this might also be the reason why Microsoft uses greyscaled buttons in
> Internet Explorer: they avoid distracting users from the actual website.
> 

Congratulations!, you've discovered one of the implicit suggestions of the
pics I sent! :). If you take a look at them again, you'll see that an
implication of the most used technology v2 :) is that most of the icons
will have converted into black&white (=uncolored=greyscaled) ones, getting
a more clear interface and decreasing the distraction on the user.

> I think both KDE and GNOME are already using icons way too much, and often
> the icons are hard to distinguish (and don't improve usability at all)
> because the focus was put on making them look like photos (i.e. lots of
> color, faded colors etc.) instead of giving them a clear, unique outline.
> 

Good point. I agree it's needed a general review of the available icons in
gnome, their style, consistence, ...

> Just take a look at the screenshot (see link below) and compare the icons in
> the start menu with those of GIMP. Which are easier to recognize, easier to
> distinguish and (probably) easier to memorize? Or compare the outlines of
> the copy and the paste icon. No difference, if it didn't have the little
> arrows.
> 
> http://www.gnome.org/images/screenshots/19991208-jrb-big
> 
> 
> Jörg
> 

Tnx


								Adrián