[ubuntu-art] Re: Default themes

[bvc]

Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen <mikkel.kamstrup at gmail.com> wrote: Most Important things first (in random order):

1) I generally think we should avoid pixmap themes all together. They bring my box to its knees :-S, I will not comment on them here.

2) I think that all included themes should have some kind of Ubuntu feel to it. Not entirely brown or orange necesarily, but maybe a hint... In some cases green can do the trick too. 

3) I think we should put suggestions on some wikipages

4) Please put screenshot links in your mails/wikipages like bvc just did

5) Suggesting a wallpaper in the theme is a nice to touch to make a complete experience. I think all themes should do that [1]. 

6) A theme should not be included just because its cool. It should compliment the other themes nicely, providing a coherent set of _different_ themes.

Now for some comments:

>  BVC on 01/05/2006
> Smooth Blended
> http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=35841 
> screenshot
> http://www.gnome-look.org/content/pre1/35841-1.png
 > these look good with the BlendedSmallSquare metacity theme, as seen in the screenshots above

There is a problem with the metacity theme in that screenie (which I also encountered with SandSkater) - namely that window borders without buttons show an "empty" button where buttons would have been. You can check this with the metacity-theme-viewer command under the "Buttons Layout" tab. 
One more problem you have in Firefox and OOo where the menubar text is not white (but black) making it hard to read (and inconsistent with the rest of the desktop) - I had the exact same problem in SandSkater too.
 
Besides these to things I really like the Smooth-* themes...

Specifically on Smooth9, I think it might do good with a little more contrast for my olde eyes, using the flat metacity theme it might do good as a "flat" theme (again like SandkSkater). The green color could do it as the "Ubuntu touch" to me. 

> For metacity themes I'll again be bias and suggest;
> Unity
> http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=32167 
> screenshots
> http://www.gnome-look.org/content/pre1/32167-1.png
 > http://www.gnome-look.org/content/pre2/32167-2.png
> 
> SystemGXF
 > http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=32169
>screenshot 
> http://www.gnome-look.org/content/pre1/32169-1.png

Regarding the metacity themes Unity and and System*, I think that the buttons in Unity are to flat. The System* themes look more profesional. 

[1]: See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ArtworkTeam/ThemingTricks on how to do that.
To address your list....
1) I think any pixmap themes should come from the other 3 community themes.

2) earth tones? I think that should also come from the 3 community themes. Some people just want a simple, bland, gray desktop without any color, so shouldn't that be an option that is available by default? Smooth-gray from Smooth9?
http://kwh.kernow-gb.com/~bvc/dapper-xubu/gtk/Smooth9-gray.png
...or is the what we are trying to avoid? ...simple, bland, gray desktop without any color? Mark?

6) Agreed. If I am understanding you correctly, it's what I wanted to see in Breezy
http://kwh.kernow-gb.com/~bvc/theme/devel/Human-Metathemes.png


The issue with the metacity theme is not much of an issue IMO. Most of the current default gnome themes do not function correctly anyway and have bad flaws.

The menubar problem is one the gdk>gtk=xul apps need to work out quickly. As a themer I do not worry about the bad apps. There's no reason they can not be pure gtk like the other 99.99% of apps. I do know a gtk firefox is in the works though. Then I may use it.

What contrast, where in Smooth9?
Green Smooth9? gPerfect-flat or japan-flat?

The Unity buttons came from the default theme for xfce (4.2?) because it was a port to gnome. I think they are fine. That said, I personally prefer to use the Gentle metacity theme which came from the same.

Thanks for the feedback!


		
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