Ismael Antadillas wrote:
Hello All
I have notice for a long time that the Icons that identify the main
programs of OpenOffice are poorly designed. Main programs meaning
"Write,
Calc, Impress... etc"....They are crowded and poorly identify the
application they are referring
to.
One should be able to only glance at the Icon and identify the
Application
the file belongs to (Icon shape and color). This becomes clearly
annoying when
using laptops or high resolution displays in small screens..... I hate
to say it but take an example at the MS Office Icons. They are
clearly identifiable by shape and by color. eg. Word, excel.... This
is an issue that, even though is not critical, touches the visual
ergonomics of the application, and it is annoying. I personally
consider it critical since it limits the comfort level of the user.
And it makes me think how something so basic has been overlooked.
Please keep it in mind for your next release.....Hope you really
take note of this.
****************************************************
[This is the 2nd sending, since the first seems to have evaporated]
Ismael is right.
The question is how low a priority do programmers place on visuals.
Mathematical minds are not easily swayed by visual arguments, and that
is not likely to change.
However, someone had to think 'visually' when someone came up with the
OOo sea gulls, and then put them in a blue sky to represent the stable
releases, while the beta releases have been identified by the blackened
stormy setting.
Actually, I think the symbolism here is rather clever. But it could be
easily argued that it works more as a linguistic style metaphor than as
'strong' visual design.
I take Ismael's point to include the problem that these icons are a mere
5mm x 5mm speck in a sea of conflicting visual bites, and that the bites
of the highest priority should be the best / strongest design.
Why not invite Ismael to submit his own improvements? After all, these
visual decisions are made constantly -- look at the bewildering array of
icons in the pull down menus. Either they are made by someone who takes
time to nurse them along into good visual health, or they are dashed off
-- as the mere stuff of 'clip art': that garbage yard of last resort for
minds concerned more over math than over the spaces all about them,
great and small.
Richard McB
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