Session icons [was Re: ubuntu-devel Digest, Vol 15, Issue 50]

On 11/22/05, Manu Cornet <manu.cornet at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi !
>
> > These are great work but I have some concerns:
> >
> > 1. All the icons are the same shape. Here is good exercise when making
> > icons. Change them to two-tone black and white and then try and use
> > them
>
> Right. Well, the initial concept is indeed to play on the color more
> than on the icon shape (a few people seemed to agree, but maybe that's
> not so great an idea ?). For a normal user (I mean, apart from
> accessibility issues), wouldn't different colors be as distinguishable
> as different shapes ? Of course, in the "High contrast" version of these
> icons, we could just delete the round button and just leave the icon
> inside, in black.

Even non-disabled people find different shapes easier to grasp. Hence
why icons should always be different shapes.

> I agree, maybe they are a bit too shiny. I could make them look more
> like what the "Humility" icon theme looks, which I think is just a
> little shiny, but not too much ?

The colours might also need some adjusting. I don't know where the
various palettes are, but why not work off the Tango palette?

http://tango-project.org/Tango_Desktop_Project

<snip>

I have only incidental experience with watching people use the Userful
system and have to ask what the logout button does.

Corey