Puppy 2.15CE Look and Feel: Taking it to the next level...
Another desktop vision...
Hi gang,
Here is another look at the Puppy 2.15CE default desktop after some suggestions from Pizzasgood. Any comments?
Here is another look at the Puppy 2.15CE default desktop after some suggestions from Pizzasgood. Any comments?
I uploaded here for similar enquirers when the project first got underway.jason.b.c wrote:I have a question , Where did you get that XMMS skin , It looks cool...
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 82&start=4
- Pizzasgood
- Posts: 6183
- Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 20:28
- Location: Knoxville, TN, USA
Nice. I do think the whole lot looks better with green or blue though, due to the GTK theme. Even like that it's pretty good.
EDIT: Wait, was that screenshot green to begin with? I could have sworn it was red when I made this post. Meh, whatever. Like I said, the green looks better
EDIT: Wait, was that screenshot green to begin with? I could have sworn it was red when I made this post. Meh, whatever. Like I said, the green looks better
[size=75]Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. --Muad'Dib[/size]
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Still under consideration. I have downloaded a complimentary set to Gryphen's Glass-icons, and I'll see what I can make out of the two without destroying the consistency of the set.Lobster wrote:What are your plans for the icon set (which I notice you are modifying) Warren?
Yes, at Pizzasgood's urging I have replaced PCLinuxOS logos with Puppy logos in the appropriate icons. I'm also trying to bring them out further by lifting their brightness a notch or two.
When I have something I am truly happy with, I'll post another screenshot. I think we should go with the unique set, IF they can be made to look a tad better and that's an issue of background choice as well as icon tweaking.
Clear as mud, eh Lob?
Ready to settle on a choice with the community's approval. Here are a couple of screenshots that show the various icon/background options that could go in as standard.Lobster wrote:What are your plans for the icon set (which I notice you are modifying) Warren?
Option 1 - Glass icons - Vista Black theme
Option 2 - Crystal icons - Vista Black theme
Option 3 - Crystal icons - emerald background - Velvet theme
Option 4 - Crystal icons - Puppy 2.14 background - IcebergX theme
Any comments?
I think option 4, but with one of pizzasgood's shining backgrounds still looks the best - nice, clean and modern. I think the glass icons (while nice) look a bit bland.
Download a better Computer :)
[url=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rDTLJYDHX3g]Puppy Linux Song[/url]
[url=http://www.letterbyletter.co.uk]www.letterbyletter.co.uk[/url]
[url=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rDTLJYDHX3g]Puppy Linux Song[/url]
[url=http://www.letterbyletter.co.uk]www.letterbyletter.co.uk[/url]
Definitely the Shining Blue Pawprint background, almost regardless of theme.
I like the Velvet theme in general, especially the way the window banner come close to matching the OS toolbar, but the window banner buttons need work. In particular, the minimize button is effectively invisible on my ThinkPad. Oddly, it's even harder to see the controls in the green-bannered active window than in the non-active charcoal banners.
Here are my suggestions (I could help with the graphics, but I'm not familiar with how to hack themes): Start with the Velvet Green (Baise/Baize) theme, but change the active color of the banner to exactly match the OS Toolbar - almost a sky-blue highlight rather than green. Add color to the window controls in the banner in their normal state (as they show in rollover now). Also, there should be a rollup control button like the one in the Vista Black theme. (Vista is clearly the best theme functionally, but we shouldn't copy. Infringement aside, we need our own clean and distinctive look.)
As for icons, I'm torn - we've got two good choices here and I don't think we can go wrong with either, except that the frosted ones won't work against a light background, so we'd need two sets.
This is shaping up nicely, overall.
One final note: The root menu needs work both organizationally and icon-wise. There are too many choices, and it's sometimes very hard to find things - it took me several minutes to find where to set the clock this afternoon. Consolidating a bunch of the stuff under "Control Panels" or the like would help this a lot. I'll see if I can take a swag at rearranging the menus this weekend...
I like the Velvet theme in general, especially the way the window banner come close to matching the OS toolbar, but the window banner buttons need work. In particular, the minimize button is effectively invisible on my ThinkPad. Oddly, it's even harder to see the controls in the green-bannered active window than in the non-active charcoal banners.
Here are my suggestions (I could help with the graphics, but I'm not familiar with how to hack themes): Start with the Velvet Green (Baise/Baize) theme, but change the active color of the banner to exactly match the OS Toolbar - almost a sky-blue highlight rather than green. Add color to the window controls in the banner in their normal state (as they show in rollover now). Also, there should be a rollup control button like the one in the Vista Black theme. (Vista is clearly the best theme functionally, but we shouldn't copy. Infringement aside, we need our own clean and distinctive look.)
As for icons, I'm torn - we've got two good choices here and I don't think we can go wrong with either, except that the frosted ones won't work against a light background, so we'd need two sets.
This is shaping up nicely, overall.
One final note: The root menu needs work both organizationally and icon-wise. There are too many choices, and it's sometimes very hard to find things - it took me several minutes to find where to set the clock this afternoon. Consolidating a bunch of the stuff under "Control Panels" or the like would help this a lot. I'll see if I can take a swag at rearranging the menus this weekend...
A good job all round, folks, thankyou for a sterling job, well done.
Just a thought though. Those of us who do not have as good eyesight as some others, need far better contrast than is provided on the default theme menu and task-bar/panel. Thje text all but vanishes in its readability, looking at the live CD I've been running for some hours.
Would really think that ought to have something done if you can, thanks
Richard in steenking hot Adelaide
Just a thought though. Those of us who do not have as good eyesight as some others, need far better contrast than is provided on the default theme menu and task-bar/panel. Thje text all but vanishes in its readability, looking at the live CD I've been running for some hours.
Would really think that ought to have something done if you can, thanks
Richard in steenking hot Adelaide
[i]Have you noticed editing is always needed for the inevitable typos that weren't there when you hit the "post" button?[/i]
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- puppyfan12
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Mon 04 Dec 2006, 17:25
- Location: Ontario, Canada
Vista Black Theme
Likes
-black/purpe/blue menu background
-start button colour & design (maybe with a paw or change start to launch or menu)
-icon to rollup the window (next to minimize)
-black/blue/white gradient taskbar icons for programs
-the highlight colors over the window control buttons (red=close, green=maximize, yellow=minimize, blue=rollup)
dislikes
-big X before program name in taskbar
-pink, yellow and orange gradient taskbar icons (all the non-black/blue/white ones are too much contrast and way too far off the rest of the color scheme...adjusting the hue in gimp to something not so far off might improve that)
-grey system tray hide icons button and grey backgrounds on icons next to it and non gradient backgrounds next to it in system tray
IceBurgX Theme
Likes
-start button shape and colour and gradients
-box imprint on window titles (text is hard to read in the screenshots since I resized image smaller than original ones)
-window button icons
Dislikes
-big X before program name in taskbar
-black backgrounds for icons in system tray
-the word 'start' on the menu system
Background
I like the dark one that's shown in my screenshots
Joe D.
Hi,
I really like the frozen icons, by the way does anyone know how to change the icons coming in the ROX file manager and where are they anyway ? I 've been looking everywhere but found nothing ; i think it is perhaps time to change this icon set to something more accurate no ?
I have found rox-show-hidden.png (the eye) rox-select.png rox-show-detail.png etc...
but where the "change to home/parentdirectory", "bookmarks menu" icons etc. ?
Best regards,
Laurent.
I really like the frozen icons, by the way does anyone know how to change the icons coming in the ROX file manager and where are they anyway ? I 've been looking everywhere but found nothing ; i think it is perhaps time to change this icon set to something more accurate no ?
I have found rox-show-hidden.png (the eye) rox-select.png rox-show-detail.png etc...
but where the "change to home/parentdirectory", "bookmarks menu" icons etc. ?
Best regards,
Laurent.
After reflection, I think I like the colored icons quite a bit better. I especially like these, the OpenOffice icons shown in some of the shots above:
The "2-pointed lozenge" shape would be good for the OpenOffice icons, and perhaps the same size with either the top left corner pointed or all four rounded (which is iPhone trendy now) would be good for the standard icons. (Perhaps the lower right corner should be pointed to kind of "point down" for icons (like setup/config) that will bring up another menu. This would make it clearer which are for apps and which are for further selections.)
BTW, I miss the USB drive mounter on the desktop... I know, it's a balance between clean and convenient, but I use the "Connect" icon once or twice, then only very rarely after that. The Mount USB icon gets used all the time. Beside that, the "Connect" icon duplicates a subset of what the "Configuration" icon offers, which is not the best design. Breaking the configuration up into topic panels would be better, IMO. (Also, is there some way to keep double clicks from launching twice on the desktop? This is VERY frustrating to new users or users that also use Windows frequently.)
I'm willing to help with the look and feel, but only after we've decided on a Window Manager.
The "2-pointed lozenge" shape would be good for the OpenOffice icons, and perhaps the same size with either the top left corner pointed or all four rounded (which is iPhone trendy now) would be good for the standard icons. (Perhaps the lower right corner should be pointed to kind of "point down" for icons (like setup/config) that will bring up another menu. This would make it clearer which are for apps and which are for further selections.)
BTW, I miss the USB drive mounter on the desktop... I know, it's a balance between clean and convenient, but I use the "Connect" icon once or twice, then only very rarely after that. The Mount USB icon gets used all the time. Beside that, the "Connect" icon duplicates a subset of what the "Configuration" icon offers, which is not the best design. Breaking the configuration up into topic panels would be better, IMO. (Also, is there some way to keep double clicks from launching twice on the desktop? This is VERY frustrating to new users or users that also use Windows frequently.)
I'm willing to help with the look and feel, but only after we've decided on a Window Manager.