Idea #10935: Polish up Gnome-Panel

This idea is a duplicate of idea #8112: Make gnome-panel more beautiful.

192

Written by DanRabbit the 9 Jul 08 at 16:40. Category: Look and Feel.
Related to: Gnome. Status: New

Description

It seems that we've taken a "If it isn't broken, don't fix it" kind of attitude with gnome-panel. However, it's seriously lacking in polish. So I'd like to expose some mockups about the future of gnome and what they have in common.

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Gentle+Gnome+mockup?content=31128
yes, Gentle Gnome does resemble a dock or kicker or whatever, but mainly it calls for the ability to have rounded corners on panels as well as apply a gradient, or a glass texture.

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/May-B?content=45837
In May-B, we see rounded corners again, as well as full transparency. As in, ALL panel applets respect transparency. Also, notice we have more well developed panel applets like those featured in AWN.

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/New+Gnome+Menu?content=65610
In this mockup we see a lot of texture, a hard line across the bottom of the panel to separate it from the desktop, and we also see transparency WITH AN IMAGE that ALL panel applets respect.

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Elementary+Gnome?content=75687
With elementary gnome we see gradients, hard lines, rounded corners, more developed panel applets (such as launchers with an option to have running app indicators) that respect panel theming, etc. And also, to have panels that look nice when they are in the corner of the screen.

Really, all these mockups have the same basic goals:
The option to have rounded panel edges
Nice looking panels in corners
Transparency even when using an image
More well developed panel applets that respect and support panel theming and transparency
The ability to apply gradients
The ability to apply 1px lines around a panel to give it more texture and separate it from the desktop.

please notice that this is not a call to make gnome-panel feel more dock like, or to change its default look or behavior. Rather this is a call to polish gnome-panel. To quote Mojo:
"AWN, for instance, is a dock, no? Yet it serves as a task-switcher (not bar style but same functionality), can have widgets like clocks and so forth, can have a notification area, can have a workspace switcher, etc. The lines are fuzzy...As far as most users are concerned, I imagine, there is little difference between what one would call a dock versus what one would call a panel."

So keep an open mind :)

Tags: appearance gnome great panel please

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Comments

neon wrote on the 9 Jul 08 at 16:46

+42,000,000!

PLEEEAASSSEEEE
I beg of your people. PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE!!!!

alsamman wrote on the 9 Jul 08 at 18:12

I really like the first two +1. It would be amazing if this becomes implemented.

Madsrh wrote on the 9 Jul 08 at 19:45

I actually thought about switching to KDE because it looks so great! Gnome-Panel could use a polish up! +1

adotei wrote on the 9 Jul 08 at 23:13

The fourth is very pleasant. +1 from me.

Eldmannen wrote on the 9 Jul 08 at 23:50

I just want it faster.

Perhaps KDE or Xfce is for you?

melhor wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 05:43

I love the Gentle mockup. It looks professional, clean and coooool. +1 from me.

andruk wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 08:12

They all look very nice.

+1, polished-like-a-mirror

granadajose wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 11:03

'xcelent!

+1

This is really the visual boost that Ubuntu needs!

animaniac wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 12:17

I like as it is, good function that doesn't affect performance, and its not like there aren't alternatives (AWN...for which id like to see the network app working)

amrhassan wrote on the 10 Jul 08 at 23:58

Gentle Gnome looks incredibly awesome...

skainsworth wrote on the 11 Jul 08 at 18:50

I believe that it's not just gnome-panel. We need a full redesign. +1

Joonas wrote on the 14 Jul 08 at 21:30

Very good idea! I hope this will become implemented. +1

sirkubador wrote on the 15 Jul 08 at 09:26

Yes, it would be a good idea, if the new panel was as fast and as "modest" as the current one and I could switch to "classic" mode.Transparency and gradients are not all.

The fourth one is not really usable due to maximalized windows, it only looks nice.

I think this needs more discussion (especially technical), but yes, we definitely need complete redesign and more possibilities in making all the design stuff.

brettalton wrote on the 15 Jul 08 at 21:33

This looks quite impressive: http://www.gnome-look.org/CONTENT/content-pre1/31128-1.jpg

Linux-user wrote on the 27 Jul 08 at 23:59

Just keep it simple. Current Gnome-layout is just great. Don't edit it.

Rounded corners, transparency, etc? Go and use Vista. I hate eyecandy in operating systems and it's the first thing I disable.

I don't want all of this crap. An operating system has to be fast and stable and it doesn't need great looks. That's why I use GNU/Linux.

DanRabbit wrote on the 28 Jul 08 at 04:41

@ Linux-user

Its not about the default behavior. The default can be kept. Its about having the freedom to have a beautiful desktop. I really don't see how this could slow your computer down that much. I run compiz and awn on a 5+ year old computer. My gf runs leopard on a 5+ year old computer. Its only windows that suffers when it comes to eye-candy and performance.

asdir wrote on the 29 Jul 08 at 07:56

This is either too much or not enough.

If something is done about the panel, it should be an overhaul of the whole ubuntu style. That would naturally include the panel.

However, if we still have to wait for the overhaul until after Intrepid Ibex, I would opt for simply using a panel background (right-click panel->properties->background->last option) instead of the stale grey panel of Hardy.

artrbinfo wrote on the 22 Aug 08 at 08:42

I think that first two themes is too kid looking. So big panels make Ubuntu look like some king of the toy, not serious OS. That is why I personally liked more gnome 2 instead of KDE 3, because KDE is just to primitive and with huge panels.
This is not only about look, those big panels aren't practical as well - reducing app maximized size.
It's my personal opinion about those first two concepts.
Third is little bit closer, but it looks like vista clone. I think that best way to success is your own, not wannabee.
Fourth example is pretty useless - if those three dock all are in top layer or to maximize till dock, then workspace is ridicules small. I think for app icons should be used gnome top panel or desktop for no-everyday apps.
Art

DanRabbit wrote on the 22 Aug 08 at 14:55

@ artbinfo

Don't be so quick to judge. I believe all of these mockups are more of a feature expose than a new GNOME default look. As always, you can resize the panel as much as you want. I don't believe that feature would be taken away.

Also, with all modern "docks" you usually have features like autohide, keep dock on bottom, keep dock on top, autohide on window maximize, etc.

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