[Qgis-developer] Cast your vote: Default icon theme for QGIS 2.0

[Larry Shaffer]

Hi. Regarding having only one set of icons...

Recently, there was a fairly good consensus on having the next icon
for the app crowd-sourced, presumably with some coin available for the
designer. I think this is a reasonable approach to ensure a good
selection of high-quality designs to choose from. The icon is pretty
much the 'face' of the app, displayed in many more places than just
the file system.

(The proposal that follows is by NO means a reflection upon the
quality of work or volunteerism regarding the currently available icon
sets.)

I believe the project should take a similar approach to the app's GUI
icon set as for the app icon. There is an opportunity here for QGIS to
set the standard for graphic excellence in the FOSS geo community and
take the stance that graphics quality should match the quality of its
code. An attractive, inviting and functional look for the app's icons
and GUI will help ease the adoption of QGIS by new users as it becomes
even more popular across the globe. Other open source projects have
been at this crossroads before (Firefox, for example), and adoption of
high graphic standards has helped their project.

Towards this end I propose the project actively seek a handful of icon
designers, or croud-sourced designers, to submit selections of their
work for a subsequent poll by PSC and devs using the following
process:

1) Devs submit, to the list, examples of icons they like. This is an
important step towards understanding the 'look' desired for the new
set, and will narrow the range of icon styles submitted by designers.

2) A number of diverse icons from the app (maybe 10) are selected as
the base for icon designer submissions, i.e. the sample selection. A
short description of the function behind each icon is written up (in
case potential designers don't have a clue).

3) Hand-picked designers, who have done similar work, or crowd-sourced
designers send in submissions based upon the sample selection.

4) A poll is taken and the project moves forward with the chosen icon
set, possibly paying the chosen designer.

Parameters for submission could be the following:

A) Icons made will be under an acceptable and compatible license.

B) Designer agrees to support the icon set for a particular duration
(time- or release version-based). This would entail providing any
infrequent new designs for icons required for new program
functionality, and updating the look of any dev-submitted icons to
meet the quality of the chosen set.

C) Optionally, it could be required of the designer to place the icon
set in the OSGeo available sets.


Again, this is not a reflection upon currently available work, but an
effort to raise the graphics standard and provide a broader selection
choice for such an important decision. I understand the need for
parity with sister programs like GRASS, but being 'tied to' the
graphics of another project may not be a wise decision in the long
run, especially if the above process provides all OSGeo apps the
opportunity to use the new icons.

Best regards,

Larry Shaffer
Dakota Cartography
Black Hills, South Dakota


On Sun, Jul 29, 2012 at 10:40 AM, G. Allegri <giohappy at gmail.com> wrote:
> I agree too. The option to change theme is quite unusual in professional
> software.
> Having only one theme would let us focus efforts to make it at our best.
>
> giovanni
>
> 2012/7/29 Andreas Neumann <a.neumann at carto.net>
>>
>> +1 for focusing on only one icon theme and putting more efforts into
>> this one theme.
>>
>> Andreas
>>
>> Am 29.07.2012 10:45, schrieb Alexander Bruy:
>> > Hi
>> >
>> > 2012/7/29 Tim Sutton <lists at linfiniti.com>:
>> >> Probably there are more good reasons for and against. It seems clear
>> >> GIS theme is preferred theme for the future, why not make it the
>> >> *only* theme?
>> >
>> > I agree with this. BTW If we look at other software, we'll see that only
>> > few
>> > programs allows to change icons and often users even don't use this
>> > capability.
>> >
>>
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