Re: [Usability]Re: A "cheat" to full window manager integration

[Christopher Warner <zanee kernelcode com>]

Daniel Borgmann wrote:

> On Sun, 2002-07-21 at 23:43, Christopher Warner wrote:
>  
>
> > > 2) It may not be desirable. It is relatively easy to
> > > design a window manager theme that looks exciting and
> > > visually strange but doesn't interfere with one's
> > > work. It is far more difficult to design a GTK+ theme
> > > that is both striking and interesting, but not hard on
> > > the eyes. Users wishing to strike a balance may simply
> > > use a funky window border theme with a less exciting,
> > > but more manageable GTK+ theme. IMHO, this is a more
> > > compelling argument against a combined theme.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >      
> > You're talking about a poorly designed theme, I'm not graphically 
> > skilled so i wouldn't be making themes. Someone who makes a theme like 
> > the above probably shouldn't be making themes for mass consumption 
> > either. I'm sure theme designers will take care of themes if they can do 
> > ONE theme instead of 3 smaller different themes. You have 
> > nautilus/wm/gtk themes. If you wrap them all together in a bunch it'd be 
> > alot easier to deal with, it'd also allow for more unifying themes. What 
> > you say above doesn't provide any technical reasons as to why combining 
> > themes might be bad except for the fact that some theme designer made a 
> > poor choice.
> >    
>
> Are you aware that many or most decent Gtk themes are engines and
> require coding? While Metacity themes are really just a simple XML file
> and some images perhaps. If this gets bundled, you can't create themes
> anymore without a _lot_ of knowledge, probably even programming
> knowledge. And add to this, that window manager and widget themes really
> have nothing in common. For example I created a Metacity theme (out of
> personal interest because I didn't like the other ones) that goes well
> with the default Raleigh, so I wouldn't see a reason to create a new Gtk
> style for it, even if I would know how to do it.
> So it would be a HUGE amount of work (for the preference coders _and_
> the theme creators) for just a tiny, almost non existant gain (I would
> even say the ability to combine every window manager theme with every
> widget theme is an advantage, not a disadvantage). 
>
>
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>  

Yes I am very aware (as the same thing goes for kde if you've ever tried 
to make a theme there);  Still you are talking really personal 
preference.  Great, you made a theme, and it goes well with the default 
Raleigh, thats great. However that is a personal preference so you don't 
see a reason to create a new Gtk style for it. If you read my post I 
still feel that they can be kept seperate but at the same time they can 
also be unified so people with the know how or the want can create one 
theme instead of many. It'd also allow for a decent format to come 
about; infact including sounds in the theme would be nice too even 
though it'd make themes chunky. I disagree that there would be 
non-existant gain if anything it'd unify things a bit yet still allowing 
choice to exist. One someone doesn't want to use the unified theme them 
fine, they can use seperate themes. As I said above more code, more work 
but it'd allow for a more unifying desktop.