Globalization, hot-swap, sound, virtue of themes

[Hal Black <hablack vt edu>]

Brief disclaimer:  Lot of opinions and "should"'s here.  These opinions
are just humbly mine 8')

  I'm not sure how things are planned to be done, but I'd like to see
the capability to define a global theme, so that all of your
applications can use it by default without having to painstakingly
specify that each use theme X.  Of course, this would just be the
default, indivual apps would be able to override this.
  I agree with what someone else mentioned about being able to hot-swap
themes.  This would make it easier for users to try different themes out
with some theme manager program.  Also, it would be easier for the
hobbyist to make new themes with some theme maker program.  Even though
it isn't the role of the gtk to provide this program, it would be good
for gnome to have such a tool, and the toolkit should be designed with
the possibility of such tools in mind.
  I know this sounds silly, and perhaps it's settled with the idea of
the plug-ins, but it would be nice to be able to have a sound set to
specify.  Even if it's only because Windows 95 themes have this
capability and we need to supercede that.  Of course, the default would
be NO SOUND.
  This all said, I think having themes is almost a neccessity, even just
judging from people's diverse opinions on what the interface should be
from this list.  With a flexible theme system, everyone should be able
to use what they want.  And people really do like to customize their
workspace, not just techies. Just like people decorate their homes, put
those fuzzy hats on toilets, and arrange pictures of family, friends,
and pets in the cubicle, they would like to decorate this defiant
functional piece of equipment that they use in the workplace that is the
computer.  I have heard of people painting their macintosh black at
home.  And when you're at Best Buy getting a CD or a cable, just go by
the computer section and look at the shapes and colors of these things
they're selling.  People love this stuff.  And a lot of it isn't a
sensible interface, it just artsy.  Some people dangle toys, fuzzy and
scaly off the sides of the monitor.  And of course there a billion
different kinds of mousepads you can buy.  My sister, for instance, has
a stack 4-mousepads high of different kinds that she likes.
  So, why not provide an outlet for this longing to take control over
one's life and one's environment?  Allow some customization of what's
showing on the monitor as well as the exterior.  People like to assert
their individuality, and that's the bottom line.  You personally might
not like big alien heads hanging off the edges of your windows, or
Beavis and Butthead chirping in some comment every time something
happens, but on the other hand, there's probably some control you'd like
to have over the interface, or you wouldn't be reading this, you'd just
take whatever "they" fed you.
  Just my 2 cents.
    Hal