[ubuntu-art] Design Now, Default Later.

[Anton Kerezov]

В 01:59 +0100 на 30.04.2008 (ср), Who написа:
> Hi all
> 
> I have written twice to this list in the last cycle hoping to help
> people distill ideas into productive work away from the default them.
> It hasn't really worked... As a team, I think our actual (polished,
> published) output is a tiny fraction of what we *could* achieve. We
> need to investigate why, and fix it.
> 
> Here are the reasons I think we aren't performing as we could. Add
> yours, tell me I'm wrong, suggest a way to fix them :)
> 
> 1. Design by committee is very difficult to get right: Dan Winship
> puts it nicely here:
> http://mail.gnome.org/archives/desktop-devel-list/2006-February/msg00115.html
> so we will get further if we have _leaders who make decisions_ and
> _carry their vision through to completion_
> 
> 2. There are too many people and ideas here to make producing a single theme
> rewarding or sensible. We need not to get caught up with 'default' and
> work on great artwork. If we _did_ make one theme that everyone
> contributed to, it would likely suffer from the difficulties described
> in (1) anyway.
> 
> 3. The process for getting feedback about work that might be good as a
> default theme is slow and sufficiently ill defined to make working
> specifically towards 'being default' a dangerous and potentially
> frustrating thing. Thus, it is better to allow those with close
> contact with sabdfl to help the team on these aspects, but not make
> them the central focus.
> 
> 4. We need to meet hard deadlines and handle our packaging from the
> very beginning of the release process. If you make some artwork, and
> tick all the packaging boxes _your work will be eligible to be in
> Universe_. Don't expect the packaging to magically occur - we have to
> see ourselves just like any other part of the Ubuntu machine, we obey
> the same rules, use the same tools, and have the same goals.
> 
> As I've said before - we've solved these problems in the past by
> having 'theme teams'. Here is an email I wrote about these for the
> last cycle:
> 
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-art/2008-January/004821.html
> 
> I wanted to copy it in verbatim, but that seemed excessive. If you
> think I'm right about the 4 points above, please try and read that
> email and skim the responses.
> 
> Can anyone tell me why we didn't get more uptake? Are people only here
> to make the default theme?
> 
> It comes down to this: If you have an idea for a theme, YOU need to
> push it forward, YOU need to make it happen, YOU need to package it,
> put it through REVU, use Launchpad...etc. kwwii deals with the
> official theme and liaises with sabdfl, but ANY good theme can go into
> the repositories. After all, if the default theme was to change
> radically, it would need to be to a theme with proven success,
> packages and maintenance. NetworkManager was an optional extra before
> it was default ;)
> 
> So, I suggest we stop worrying about 'default' for now - and go and
> enjoy doing some great, original design. Make it work, make it
> available, and watch as people all around the world choose to use it!
> 
> It can happen :)
> 
> Who
> (Jonathan Aust
> in)
> 

I totally agree with Who and think that it's time we split into theme
teams. Each team have to make a background, mouse and widget theme
(sound theme will also be good).

So anyone that wants to help me with the animated background and further
with a new theme engine - please write to my email.

Anton