[ubuntu-art] Random Thoughts on Mail Burst

[Bharat Varma]

1. Before we get started on serious work, it would be preferable to know if
the guidelines and palettes put up at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/HardyDesign
<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/HardyDesign>
 were indeed part of what was originally planned for Hardy. If it is so,
then it is reasonable to expect that these guidelines have the blessings of
the powers that be and still hold good for Intrepid.

Assuming #1 above -

2. Canonical would always prefer conservative themes to go out. Conservative
themes would be what the mainstream default desktop will eventually be. The
themes would be bright, similar to OpenSuse or Fedora or the current Ubuntu
default themes. This will not change in the near future.

#1 and #2 above helps restrict our pursuits to a more meaningful direction.
This is absolutely necessary if we are to make it to our deadlines for
Intrepid. The artwork teams need an overall direction.

I feel that the theme of a desktop has an effect on the mood of the user.
Atleast, the user tries to choose a theme which would suit his/her mood -
apart from other customization, which is more for being productive.

We need to have themes which have this effect, instead of having themes
which are more like placeholders because anything else would look ugly. The
effect a theme has can be largely controlled by minor variations and
corresponding background, while icons help more subtly.

3. Variations of themes is something that I feel is extremely important for
Ubuntu to have. Just minor color modifications here and there. Just like the
bluish, greenish and silverish variations of Windows XP or the aqua-ish or
grey-ish of OSX.  Minor variations cause a huge impact on the way the
desktop looks. These variations can be inspired by anything - colors of
planets, elements, variations in brown from breezy to hardy, etc.

The variation also should be subtle - variation in the color of selected
items, minor border modifications etc.

4. Once we have themes, we still have the icons and the backgrounds to work
on. Every variation coming with correspondingly different icons and a
different background which attempts to bring out what we expect the user to
feel when he is using the theme.

The human elements idea is just an example assuming #1 to #4 above, atleast
according to me. If the palette in #1 changes, we get a different direction
entirely.

I would consider all other enhancements to be that, enhancements which are
optional (and if we have the time to put them in).

The path that I see -

a. Confirm palettes and overall idea presented in Hardy Design. If not, get
a palette approved ASAP. Human look or not, needs to be decided here itself.
1 side should have the final say in overall direction, either us or
Canonical. If it is us (which i doubt), then 1 guy will have the final say
among us (whoever is popular by vote I guess) who will take up the
responsibility for the entire project - unless we already have one who does.

b. Have 4, 5 design ideas based on the palette, make sure of
implementability, get informal approval from powers that be. Not more than
4, 5 designs. If there are more, we decide through vote and get down to 4,
5.

It is crucial to get informal approval at this stage itself instead of
putting in 2 months of effort and finally having to change everything.

c. If higher-ups do not select one of the 4,5 above (but in general approve
of the direction), we ask the community to choose one or mix and match each
design etc.

d. icons team, wallpaper team, GTK team and metacity team

I think this is the only way we are going to get anywhere with this. Steps a
and b need to happen at-least by end of May. That way, we have 3 months to
work on our complete base model and still have enough time to make any
modifications.

We need to concentrate on this and this only. We are only at the beginning
of the next LTS cycle and we have 3 more releases to add enhancements and
other features. if we complete the basic stuff from #a to #d early enough
and if we can sneak in a blue print for enhancements, that would obviously
be great.

But we really need to get as many people as possible on board with the basic
work. We need all the help we can get.


Bharat Varma

-- 
d-_-b
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