the GTK stock icon items does not distunguish between
"chronological" and "structural" links.
With a structural link we mean those links that takes
you to the previous, next or up node in something structured
like a table of contents. For structural links I would suggest
what is found in gthumb - arrows pointing into a document.
1. Alternative suggestion for structural arrows Previous, Next, Up: Instead
of pointing to a page symbol, point to an ellipsis (...), indicating
continuation. Whatever the current object is (a page or not), ellipsis
indicates more (another) of the same, and the arrow shows the direction of
the continuation.
Next: ->...
Previous: ...<-
Up: ...
^
|
2. Suggestion for Find icon (GTK_STOCK_FIND): Use binoculars instead of a
magnifying glass with a document. a) Magnifying glass means Zoom (possible
confusion). b) You don't search with a magnifying glass, anyway - you
magnify.
For Find+Replace (GTK_STOCK_FIND_AND_REPLACE): Use binoculars with plus-sign
(+) or binoculars with two curved interchange arrows (see arrows in attached
magnifying-glass icon) or with a single curved, double-headed swap arrow
(see arrows in attached binoculars icon).
3. Suggestion for Quit (exit) icon (GTK_STOCK_QUIT): Use international Exit
symbol instead of the open door (which is hard to distinguish and ambiguous:
entering or exiting?) - see attached arrow-exiting-box exit-sign icon.
4. Suggestion for Preferences icon (GTK_STOCK_PREFERENCES): Use a pair of
check boxes instead of the wrench-plus-screwdriver - see attached
preferences icon. The wrench-plus-screwdriver, although often used for
preferences, is confusing because there are also often Tools menus/dialog
boxes that are called up by an icon. The wrench-plus-screwdriver icon fits
better for Tools, not preferences. Preferences are choices, so show choices,
not tools.
5. Add a new icon for Information (not quite the same as Help): Use the
international Information symbol - see attached information icon.
6. Open icon (GTK_STOCK_OPEN): Is this intended for opening existing files?
If so, it is misleading (as a folder).
What are the intended uses of GTK_STOCK_OPEN, GTK_STOCK_DIRECTORY,
GTK_STOCK_NEW, and GTK_STOCK_FILE?
Suggestion: Have an icon for opening existing files and a different but
similar icon for creating new files - each would show a file, not a folder.
One possibility is to mark the NEW file icon with a "new" sparkle - see
attached new-file icon. Other than the "new" sparkle, icons new-file and
open-file would be the same. (A similar "new" convention could be used for
other creation icons, for consistency.)
The attached icons are food for thought only, pulled here and there from the
Web.
(Reply directly; I am not subscribed to the list.)
Attachment:
findreplace.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
findreplace2.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
exitsign.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
information.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
preferences.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
new.gif
Description: GIF image
