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Bug 326070 - Theme manager interface is too complex.
Theme manager interface is too complex.
Status: RESOLVED OBSOLETE
Product: gnome-control-center
Classification: Core
Component: [obsolete] theme-manager
2.13.x
Other All
: Normal enhancement
: ---
Assigned To: Control-Center Maintainers
Control-Center Maintainers
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
 
Reported: 2006-01-07 07:34 UTC by Alberto Ruiz
Modified: 2007-11-11 20:09 UTC
See Also:
GNOME target: ---
GNOME version: Unversioned Enhancement


Attachments
Mockup for theme-manager (51.94 KB, image/png)
2006-01-07 07:36 UTC, Alberto Ruiz
Details

Description Alberto Ruiz 2006-01-07 07:34:23 UTC
I would like to offer a better aproach for the theme manager ui, I'll attach a
mockup (this is the first day that I use bugzilla so if I'm unable to attach the
.png file, I'll add a coment with a flickr url).

There are several reasons to propose this as a better interface that the
current, theese are:
- The current interface is too complex: there are no invitation to the user to
drag and drop theme packages (yes, the details dialog has something about it,
but that dialog is suposed not to be opened for everyone), and the Install
dialog is not very usable since it uses the full path and you have to enter to
another dialago more to select the package to install it.
- Another problem is that there are lot of icons previews that hides the app and
window previews (yes I know, maybe I have to file it as a separated bug).
- Right now, in art.gnome.org we don't support one-package-themes, I mean, you
have to download icons themes, metacity themes and gtk themes separately.

-The theme details preference is harder to manage than the main one, you have to
select themes from a text list, so, if you don't know how a theme looks like you
have to select one by one until you find what you are looking for.

-The "themes folder" doesn't have much sense (maybe themes:// could be better),
I think that the user should manage the list from the list, and he (or she)
doesn't have to go to a nautilus window to delete or ¿browse? into it.

In order to avoid all those problems, I created a mockup, let me know what you
think about it.

Other information:
I have to say that I'm not an usability expert (far from that), and I don't want
to criticise the work of no one, so if I use wrong words to say something,
please, notice that my english skills could (and should) be very improved ;),
the work and sugestion that I've done comes from the way that I think that most
users and myself, could handle themes easily. Sugestions are welcome :)
Comment 1 Alberto Ruiz 2006-01-07 07:36:34 UTC
Created attachment 56909 [details]
Mockup for theme-manager

Notice that with this aproach the interface has no dialogs at all, so you can do everything in the main window, and what you see is what you get :P
Comment 2 Sebastien Bacher 2006-01-15 14:57:27 UTC
Thanks for your bug
Comment 3 Thomas Wood 2006-04-12 20:21:56 UTC
The problem with this mockup, is that you loose the ability to install or create "metathemes" - i.e. an item that is a collection of themes.
Comment 4 Alberto Ruiz 2006-04-12 21:41:14 UTC
Thos, indeed, but the way that most people customize its desktop is chossing differents icon, app and metacity themes. The way that themes are distributed in art.gnome.org are separated pieces. This mockup is just an example on how to improve the interface for the most common use of the dialog, and I would like to discuss how would be possible to incorporate the ideas behind it on the current dialog.
Comment 5 Thomas Wood 2006-04-18 20:30:49 UTC
Once bug 325300 is fixed, I hope that art.gnome.org will start distributing "metathemes". Some themes already install an index.theme to allow a selection from the main theme list, so I don't think it would be wise to remove it.
Comment 6 Jens Granseuer 2007-11-11 20:09:05 UTC
Closing as obsolete since the capplet got a major overhaul for 2.20.