Alexandre Prokoudine <alexandre.prokoudine@...360...> writes:
A blueprint by Oliver Jan Krylow:
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/ui-improv http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/UI_improvements
Interesting blueprint. I'm willing to create the grayscale set if there's an agreement that it could be added. As for simplifying the shape and color of the existing set, judging by the variety of opinions over the tool icons when I helped with the tango set, it'll be very difficult to reach a consensus. But it can't hurt to have a little... let's not say "contest" but "request for proposals" in which artists could try their hand at a new icon set for the toolbox. Who knows? Perhaps someone will come up with a really polished good looking set that everybody will like.
as for maximizing the working area: I agree with the need, not sure about the proposed solution. I think first and formost something must be done about the size of the widgets. I work on both Windows and Ubuntu and in both the widgets are way oversized, the panels too wide. Now, letting the user customize the UI is always a bonus, but if there's no good default, it's just shifting the responsibility from the developer to the user.
I do like some things about Pablo Lzardo's mockup which is attached to the blueprint. I think the overlapping UI would be a step back, but I like the fact that stroke options are visible at the same time as color options, and the options are nicely concentrated and laid out. Adobe apps have this type of panel where the most common options are always visible, and the less common ones (such as end/center markers) can be expanded by a down arrow on the tab header. That might also be a good idea.
The self-documenting UI: if you're considering this and are looking for real-world examples, you might want to check out the latest version of 3ds max. There's this new ribbon-like thing below the menu (only for a very specific set of mesh editing functions,. for some reason). If you hover over one of the ribbon's icons for a couple of seconds, you'll see a normal tool tip. But, if you keep you mouse for a couple seconds more, the tool tip expands into a longer explanation along with keyboard shortcut, tips, even screenshots. It's a really nice, helpful system. I'm not sure if it's necessary for Inkscape - seems like an overkill. Still, if anyone's looking for an implementation to draw inspiration from it's there.
Lastly I want to remind you that the most important feature missing in the current UI is the ability of making the UI stick between sessions. Open panels should still be open, and in their last set size, the next time you open inkscape.