
worms invasion wrote:
Well, re. the proposed Tango icon set for Inkscape... I do NOT want to be "forced" to test the Tango icons - let alone to be forced to use them. I hate the Tango icons. :-)
The same argument that Tango people has: We hate that set, we don't want to be forced to that.
The main reasons are:
- they are unreadable, "undecodable".
I do not need to use a magnifying glass to "decode" the current (non Tango) icon set, the icons are "sharp" and "clear". Compared to them, the Tango icons are... "wtf?... which icon is that...?" I do not want to lose time wondering each time I need to click on an icon (and it happens quite a lot in Inkscape, because I don't use the shortcuts or F-keys). Honestly, I hardly *see* the Tango icons.
Some of the current Tango icons need some contrast tweaking, that's right. Plus the non-black outlines give less contrast than black lines, but the problem with black and dark/black themes is an issue. Anyway, I don't think they are unreadable, undecodeable or that you need a magnifying glass to see them.
- they belong to the Linux world.
They're intended to be multi-platform. Just as Inkscape and other free applications. Using an icon set created for that purpose is consistent to a free, open source, multi-platform program. Other people can argue that free software belongs to linux world and you shouldn't use it in Windows :-)
- I do not use any other "free" software which uses the Tango icon set, such as The Gimp or..., so I don't care about "being used" to seeing such or such icons.
That's your point of view. You don't care, and since it's not your concern you don't consider if others do. I don't want to bring such discussion to the list, but I'd like to know why people is using inkscape? Just because it's free of charge? It's also free (libre) software, and a lot of people cares about that. Being part of a software movement that's created in a collaborative way implies to have a goal and work to make it happen. There are people who sees inkscape just as an application that costs nothing, but others see it as a part of something bigger. Theme changers are quite common in shareware/freeware apps for windows, so I don't think that would be a big deal if we put Tangos as default and let people change it back to the current set if they don't like it. That would be enough for them (they won't be forced to Tango) and would be nice for people who prefers Tango because they fit with the other free apps.
In my honest opinion, for people who sees inkscape as a freebie, a UI option for changing the icon set will be enough.
I don't want to make a political discussion about this, and I'm not saying that you are that kind of people (i can't speak, I don't know).
- I believe each application can have its own style, its own icons. I hate the "applications on a platform must all look alike" concept, it's sterile, it's boring, it's dull.
Of course, and nobody denies that, and that's why we need an easy way to change icon themes from the preferences. You're talking about what you hate and what you'd love, what would be amusing, bright and happy and not a technical reason. People who back up Tango icons ask them to be default for technical reasons, not just personal preferences -A normalized icon set with clear design guidelines -More care about details (pixel alignment, for instance) -An unified look between free design applications -Better look in dark gtk themes.
If the current set would cover most of these topics (well, the unified look with other apps wouldn't be possible) I bet most of the Tango people would find it acceptable and a easy icon theme changer in the preferences would suffice.
So, my user opinion is: if the Linux users are masochists and want to have Tango style icons for Inkscape, fine, give them a GUI to switch to Tango icons.
Again, just change the "Linux" word for "Windows" and change the Tango word for "current" and that's the way I see it. This is matter of personal taste. I'd prefer to talk about technical reasons.
Gez.