[ubuntu-art] Thoughts on future interface/artwork

[Emir Beganović]

I like your artwork! 

> OK, this is my first post over here. Is this the right place to post
> this?
Yes, of course.
> I have been browsing ubuntuforums.org for a while, especially the
> Feisty development section. Have been an enthusiastic Ubuntu user
> since Dapper. I was quite satisfied then with the interface, however,
> I have seen that no major interface changes have occured since 6.06
> and can predict that Feisty will be no exception. I don't want to hurt
> anybody's feelings, but the artwork team should be doing a much better
> job especially now, when more and more users are switching to Ubuntu.
> The artwork evolution is stagnating, the only new and nice idea I have
> seen is the Edgy beta artwork which did not make it to the final
> release unfortunately.
> Even though Ubuntu's interface can be easily changed in a second, but
> when switching to Linux from Windows for example, first impression
> means quite a lot. And by first impression I mean the default
> interface, which appears in all kinds of reviews, screenshot galleries
> and at ubuntu.com. If we take the average Linux newbie, he/she listens
> to his/her heart [interface] not to the real things [performance,
> stability etc.] because he/she does not have technical knowledge on
> this area. How should he/she know about Beryl and Compiz or other
> stuff? We are tlaking about newbies here and Ubuntu is mainly targeted
> to newbies and intermediates. And many distros like Sabayon for
> example have more default eye candy than Ubuntu has, and since
> bandwith is cheap nowadays, users might prefer it more.
> In ubuntuforums.org I have visited the topics about the new artwork
> Feisty has, and noticed that the most critiques were referring to: 
> -the lack of consistency in startup GUI [boot+GDM+desktop]
> -the pinkish colors
> -the lack of process log on the bootscreen
> -the exaggerated and useless simplicity of the panels and wallpaper
> 
> So I've grabbed Photoshop, and after an hour and a half and several
> snacks and 2 liters of coke I've came up with these.
> 
> 1. The bootup screen
> (http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ubuntubootaltyd7.png)
> As you see, it is very minimalistic. I have read that less content on
> the bootscreen reduces boot time, so only the ubuntu logo and the
> progress bar is displayed. The event log only shows the current
> operation Ubuntu handles and can be deactivated by pressing <F2>.
> The progress bar takes the full width of the screen, and by increasing
> its length, users get the impression of higher speed as the progress
> bar advances quicklier than on the current bootscreens. Very slick.
The bootup screen might include word "Ubuntu" under Ubuntu logo. Anyway,
it's pretty cool.
> 2. The GDM
> theme(http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ubuntuloginaltie8.png)
> On all OS releases except Mac OS X it can be notuced a gaping hole
> between the bootscreen and the login screen. In order to solve this
> problem on Ubuntu, I opted for a black GDM theme. The Ubuntu logo is
> in the same position, now has a very subtile reflection, and on the
> right side it is grouped the login information and the text box with a
> nice fade in the background. All users need to know can find here, the
> options menu and the computer info is near, so it is more visible, and
> no large mouse moves are necessary to turn off the computer for
> example. You see the subtile chocolate curves in the background? They
> are part of the consistency. The GDM theme has a lighter overall
> feeling, the whole interface gets lighter as the user advances trough
> the starting-up process.
Looks nice too, but the background is too much OSX-like.
> 3. The splash
> screen(http://img81.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ubuntusplashalt3ra3.png)
Maybe ubuntu logo should look better if centered?
> 4. The
> desktop(http://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ubuntudeskaltba3.png)
> The overall desktop is friendly. The wallpaper uses the colors of
> cherry wood/chocholate, which users can feel more close to the home
> feeling than the alien pinkish hue Feisty currently has. Now, as the
> starting-up process is over, the desktop is fully enlightened and
> ready for the user to work on. See the three curves on the wallpaper?
> They were included (in a darker hue) in the GDM theme. Now the panels
> have background. Very subtile. Very consistent.
Great! Icons in gnome panel are OSX-like, those should be replaced with
appropriate Ubuntu Human icons.
> I think a linux user's first encounter with a new edition of an OS and
> the first time he/she boots up is on of the most marking moments of
> using an OS. The interface presented above is high to that challenge,
> and makes the user's first impression a quite good one.
Feisty should be eyecandy, besides that Beryl/Compiz won't be included
by default. New interface for current users and impressive for wholly
new users of ubuntu is really amazing.
> See my original topic on ubuntuforums.org >>>
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=369414