On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 5:35 PM, Sean McNamara smc...@gmail.com wrote:
Hi,
On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 8:32 AM, Saleel Velankar svela...@gmail.com
wrote:
Omg!Ubuntu! is reporting that this is one of the new default wallpapers
:http://i.imgur.com/8v7rv.jpg
Is this a render flaw or is it actually supposed to look like that? Did
someone get hit with temporary blindness or what?
IANAA (I am not an artist) but I don't like that image either, for
reasons stated by others already. It is too busy.
That said, I spend about 10 seconds per year with my actual desktop
showing. I always have a maximized window on all my monitors, usually
a web browser or terminal. So I could have the worst image in the
world as my desktop wallpaper and I wouldn't know it until I reboot my
system, which is quite infrequently. And then I would just hastily
cover it up with some maximized windows rather than waste time
changing it.
IMHO you might as well make the background as eye-catching as humanly
possible (no pun intended), because retail stores keep their computers
on display at the default desktop wallpaper 99% of the time, clearing
out windows that customers create to keep it clean (or preventing them
from creating windows at all). So if the wallpaper looks interesting
or catches the user's eye, they will look at the computer more and try
to evaluate it as a potential purchase. Just my 2 cents as to what
type of practical use this background could have, at least in
principle.
I don't think actual users tend to just sit there and stare at their
desktop; they maximize windows to take advantage of screen real
estate. And with web browsers taking up the entire screen with Unity,
maximize takes on a whole new meaning -- literally nothing remains
of the trappings of the desktop except for the top panel while a
browser session or other window is active and maximized. So maybe the
choice of wallpaper is less significant these days for most users.
One final comment: the wallpaper featured here
http://linuxblog.pansapiens.com/2008/04/24/ubuntu-hardy-heron-804-is-officially-out-a-pre-review/#
has a striking resemblance to the image Saleel linked in the OP. I
really, really, dislike this image of the heron as well; the stylized
portrayal of a bird just doesn't resonate with me as something that
has any relation to Ubuntu or computing. So at least Canonical is
consistently bad with their choice of having strange animals in their
desktop theme, with abstract shapes and brush strokes (I don't know
what else to call them!) in the background.
At some point, I'll probably get annoyed enough at the narwhal theme
that I'll find one of the generic brown wallpapers with the Ubuntu
logo and replace the default wallpaper with that, and my ability to
care about it will have been exhausted...
Sean
I dont even know.
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hey Sean,
Its an interesting thought,, about computers in the store and wallpaper,,
unfortunately,, although I partially agree with that,, I have yet to see any
Ubuntu machine at Best Buy here in the US .
Wallpaper must be well composed ..aka designed extremely well,, to be not
only very attractive to the eye,, but non-intrusive,, and hopefully
relaxing.
Apple has, for the most part, used wallpapers very effectively., both
attractive and non intrusive,, and pretty to the eye.
Windows', on the other hand, were always harsh, and irritating in general.
The link you pointed to.. and I agree with the hardy heron default image,,
the banner on that page was also a default wallpaper,, I cant remember which
one,, but it was very well done,, attractive,,non intrusive, but hardy heron
could have been done with an animal wallpaper,, just not that one :)
I have personally never liked an Ubuntu logo on my desktop.. I have yet
to see any wallpaper done well enough that the logo isn't irritating.
I am an artist.. and have been consistently disappointed,, but for a few
versions,, by the ubuntu default images.
I always enjoyed the play of browns for Ubuntu ,, and recently the
eggplant purple... I guess purple is in this year:)
I thought of the browns as a unique color scheme specific to Ubuntu, very
attractive,, if not just unusual, particularly for an OS.
I have been using ubuntu from day one ,, what was that 4.05 ..?...and
been a member of the community art team for just about as long.
I am not sure exactly what the official design team does,, other than the
two new light themes,, ambiance and radiance...but what puzzles me, is that
the design team has not, at least from the outside, sat down,, come up with
a plan to concentrate on one of the main things, the default look.. as
you said ,, when someone sees it in the
