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

[G. Allegri]

I'm happy of your email Larry. You anticipated me, because I was going to
propose the same.
I believa, as you, that the "face" of an application, with its user
experience design, is something foundamental as the quality of the code,
both for its diffusion and to expose its "behind the scenes"'s quality in a
graphical way.

I would add another evaluation parameter: the integration of the icon set
inside the QGis UI system. I mean, an icon set could be very cool but maybe
it could not fit the UI characteristics offered by the Qt system. A naive
example: a Ribbon style graphics will never integrate in the Qt.
This means that the icon set should, possibly, work well with the various
predefined icon sizes and fit into the toolbar spacing. (I'm beginning to
study the QtStyleSheet system next days).

giovanni



2012/7/30 Larry Shaffer <larrys at dakotacarto.com>

> 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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> >
> >
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