Hi list
I would like to propose replacing the bluecurve icon theme with tango[1]. There are a number of good reasons for doing this.
1. Tango implements the icon naming standard, a desirable improvement over the current mess. Eventually this should mean that icons apply univerisally, be that in Firefox, OpenOffice, KDE or GNOME.
2. Tango is a near complete icon set with a clear design style - this is means we get a consistent experience through out the interface regardless of the DE. Not only independent of DE but consistent between the icons themselves.
3. Tango is actively developed by paid developers and the community, it would be more worthwhile to contribute to this effort than continue to produce Bluecurve on our own.
4. Branding using icons is counterproductive to switching between distros, if we adopt the same standard icons as used in Foresight, OpenSuSE and many others (and I understand Ubuntu might be switching to Tango in Dapper+1), it would be increasingly easy for users to adopt Fedora as the interface is similar.
In conclusion, switching to Tango makes sense from an investment return POV, a user experience POV and it's an easy transistion. I would like to propose that the switch be done with the beginning of the FC6 development cycle.
Kind Regards
David Nielsen
[1] www.tango-project.org
David Nielsen wrote:
I would like to propose replacing the bluecurve icon theme with tango[1]. There are a number of good reasons for doing this.
[excellent list of good reasons snipped]
As someone is involved in the Tango project, and a happy Fedora user, I would love to see this.
I would also like to make it known that if there are perceived hurdles to the adoption of the Tango icon theme in Fedora, we would like to know about them so we can fix them!
We're easily accessible on the tango-artists mailing list [1] and in #tango on freenode. Come ask questions!
Tango is still a young enough project that there is room for Fedora and its developers to have a significant impact on the nature and direction of the project. It's a great time to get involved.
Also, Tango is not just an icon set - it is a set of visual style guidelines. Fedora could be a "Tango-friendly" distribution, share all of the benefits of being a tango-ified desktop, and still maintain its own visual identity. For example, key icons can be changed somewhat to conform to corporate (or "foundational" ;-) identity and yet still conform to the fundamental Tango visual style guidelines.
Translation: if you hate the folder icon (or any particular icon), relax - it's not carved in stone.
Another small note - something David didn't include in his fine lists of reasons to adopt Tango icons: more apps are starting to get Tango-style icons. This is part of the goal of the project - to great a common visual base to which application developers can create apps and application icons that nicely fit in with the rest of the desktop.
For example, Sound Juicer, Cowbell, F-Spot, Desktbar-applet, Diva, Banshee (and more) are already adopting icons that fit well with the Tango-style. Having such a key distro as Fedora take on the Tango style would be a huge incentive for more application developers (and distros) to do the same.
I can't speak on behalf of the entire Tango project, but as someone interested and involved in the project, I will do my best to answer questions/concerns about possible Fedora adoption here on the list.
Cheers, Steven Garrity
[1] http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/tango-artists
Hi,
I would like to propose replacing the bluecurve icon theme with tango[1].
So it's definitely too late for FC5, given that test3 is already out.
My thoughts are we should wait until GNOME adopts it. If upstream GNOME adopts it, it would be a lot easier choice to make.
Just my thoughts, though...
--Ray
ons, 22 02 2006 kl. 12:21 -0500, skrev Ray Strode:
Hi,
I would like to propose replacing the bluecurve icon theme with tango[1].
So it's definitely too late for FC5, given that test3 is already out.
My thoughts are we should wait until GNOME adopts it. If upstream GNOME adopts it, it would be a lot easier choice to make.
Just my thoughts, though...
I specifically suggested this be done for the FC6 cycle.
Upstream is not looking to adopt Tango out of the fear that without vendor support, it will look like a GNOME only project and thus scare off the KDE crowd. Or so it seems. Thus vendor buy in is very important, I for one, would love to welcome my new Tango overlords to Fedora since I find their style very pleasing and I agree with the aims out getting a unified icon standard.
It sounds like The tango developers and artists are very keen on cooperating with us to make this happen.
- David
On Wed, 2006-02-22 at 19:13 +0100, David Nielsen wrote:
Upstream is not looking to adopt Tango out of the fear that without vendor support, it will look like a GNOME only project and thus scare off the KDE crowd. Or so it seems. Thus vendor buy in is very important, I for one, would love to welcome my new Tango overlords to Fedora since I find their style very pleasing and I agree with the aims out getting a unified icon standard.
As part of "upstream" I just have to ask where you saw this. I haven't seen anythiong like it before.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Alexander Larsson Red Hat, Inc alexl@redhat.com alla@lysator.liu.se He's a superhumanly strong native American househusband moving from town to town, helping folk in trouble. She's a radical kleptomaniac soap star with an evil twin sister. They fight crime!
tor, 23 02 2006 kl. 10:36 +0100, skrev Alexander Larsson:
On Wed, 2006-02-22 at 19:13 +0100, David Nielsen wrote:
Upstream is not looking to adopt Tango out of the fear that without vendor support, it will look like a GNOME only project and thus scare off the KDE crowd. Or so it seems. Thus vendor buy in is very important, I for one, would love to welcome my new Tango overlords to Fedora since I find their style very pleasing and I agree with the aims out getting a unified icon standard.
As part of "upstream" I just have to ask where you saw this. I haven't seen anythiong like it before.
I believe dobey made the comment that GNOME was not switching to Tango because it was hard to convince KDE that this wasn't a GNOME project. And I agree that we need adoption of the standard first, so untill GNOME actually supports it well we can let the argument rest.
- David
David Nielsen wrote:
tor, 23 02 2006 kl. 10:36 +0100, skrev Alexander Larsson:
On Wed, 2006-02-22 at 19:13 +0100, David Nielsen wrote:
Upstream is not looking to adopt Tango out of the fear that without vendor support, it will look like a GNOME only project and thus scare off the KDE crowd. Or so it seems. Thus vendor buy in is very important, I for one, would love to welcome my new Tango overlords to Fedora since I find their style very pleasing and I agree with the aims out getting a unified icon standard.
As part of "upstream" I just have to ask where you saw this. I haven't seen anythiong like it before.
I believe dobey made the comment that GNOME was not switching to Tango because it was hard to convince KDE that this wasn't a GNOME project. And I agree that we need adoption of the standard first, so untill GNOME actually supports it well we can let the argument rest.
- David
I don't understand the logical behind thinking that Red Hat deciding on something would make it more attractive to KDE. Quite the opposite no?
Warren Togami wtogami@redhat.com
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