[Nautilus-list] Re: SVG Icons

[Andy Hertzfeld <andy differnet com>]

Hi Josh,

     Thanks for letting me know that you don't like the new vector icons that we're
experimenting with.  We're still in the early stages of learning to use them well,
since they require the anti-aliased canvas for decent looking edges (which still
isn't ready for normal use), and the icon factory code still doesn't use them as well
as it will - right now I think the large ones are being scaled as bitmaps, which
defeats their major advantage.

    I'm sure that we will continue to support image-based icons along side the
vector-based ones, and I'm not sure which will prove better in the long run, since
they each have relative strengths and weaknesses.  Right now the vector based ones
are the shiny new toy and need a lot of attention to survive past infancy.   You have
to experiment a lot to find out what UI works the best, and at Eazel we're doing it
out in the open.   There's a good chance we'll back away from the vector icons, but
I'm hoping that they'll find their rightful place.

    I'm not sure how much of your complaint relates to the specific design of the
folder and document in the new vector theme.  Susan actually gave me a range of
alternatives, so I'd be interested in your opinion on the rest of them to try to
understand how to improve them - I'll try to put a screen dump on a web page so you
can check them out.

     One of our goals for Nautilus is to make it fully themable, so there can be many
different looks for different types of users.  Eazel now has another talented
designer, Arlo Rose, whose esthetic is quite different than Susan's; I'm pretty sure
that Nautilus will be stronger if it can offer multiple distinct looks at the user's
discretion.

     Thanks again for your feedback; I hope that you continue to provide more.

-- Andy

> Andy,
>
>         I have been following the progress of Nautilus since early Feb., and I am
> quite sure that Nautilus will change the face of the desktop.  I also
> believe that Eazel is composed of some of the finest graphic designers in
> the world.
>
>         I have seen a lot of Susan Kare's work.  Ranging from System 1 to Windows
> 3.1 to Nautilus.  I truly believe that Susan is one finest graphic
> designers that you could work with.
>
>         Having said that, I believe that Susan can do much better than the current
> SVG icons that are in nautilus/icons/vector.  I know that users in general
> don't really know what is good for them, but I feel like I have given this
> time enough to know that it isn't just a "It's new and I don't like it"
> feeling.  In fact, I did not like the Eazel icons that Susan drew, or the
> new toolbar buttons that Susan drew, but now I am using both as my default.
>
>
>         Pavel Cisler and I were talking about this in IRC and it prompted me to
> write this e-mail.  He told me that, "If you don't like the vector icons in
> a bit, chances are a lot of other people don't like it either."  I thought
> about that for a while, and the more I thought about it, the more I agreed
> with him.  I've talked to quite a few people on IRC, and I have shown them
> screenshots of these new vector icons.  I've only had one positive
> response.
>
>         Please consider this e-mail.  I assure you that I didn't just say, "I hate
> these icons, I think I'll complain to Andy about it."  I know that you are
> quite a busy person.
>
>         I truly do feel like vector icons are a good idea, and I know that if
> anyone can make good looking vector icons, Susan is able to.
>
>         Thank you for all of your time and hard work that you have put in Nautilus
> and contributed to the Open Source community.
>
> Josh Barrow
>
> Carbamide