<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffcc" text="#000000"> Julian Oliver wrote: <blockquote cite="mid20060414231120.GB4957@dropworld" type="cite"> <pre wrap="">that said, at the end of the day the goal shouldn't be to make a 'striking' desktop so much as one that is simultaneously easy to look at for long hours, has attention to detail when studied and is graphically logical the rest of the time. IMHO the atomic parts of the desktop as a graphical environment should be translucid, yet a pleasure to look at when so desired. confidence in a desktop environment is not pervaded with stylistic virtuosity so much as in it's reliable behavioural and graphical logic. </pre> </blockquote> Well said! Our goals should be: - visual and logical consistency - long term comfort and familiarity - matching of presentation and prioritisation => only make short term critical stuff bright red - style, polish and class <blockquote cite="mid20060414231120.GB4957@dropworld" type="cite"> <pre wrap="">as much as i find OSX tedious and frustrating from a useability perspective, it is graphically successful to these ends, in that it one is barely aware of the graphical particulars or stylistic disposition of the desktop in the course of using it. </pre> </blockquote> They very successfully reduced the number of different visual elements, and made those that are there excellent. Do less, but do it better. That would be a very axiom for us in the next meta-cycle. I very much like the fact that we have Human, which is quite tightly controlled, and Tangerine, where we have a more community-driven approach. These two can complement one another, with Tangerine being focused on innovation while Human is focused on polish. Neither will ever be perfect, but both will attract people for different reasons. The creative tension between them can be managed. Users can choose if they prefer one or the other or mix them for maximum coverage. The best work and ideas will migrate quickly from the one to the other. I think we should continue this and expand it during the Edgy cycle and more broadly during the next "meta-cycle", by which I mean the set of releases between Edgy and the next LTS ("long term support") enterprise release, which could be two or three years. <blockquote cite="mid20060414231120.GB4957@dropworld" type="cite"> <pre wrap="">that said, i really don't think the world needs another blue desktop. </pre> </blockquote> Also, very well said :-) Mark </body> </html>