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Description
Apple's OS X operating system is universally acclaimed as the easiest operating system for the average user. This is not due to the attractiveness of the theme or the gel-like interface buttons, but to the universally consistent user interface. In OS X, every program follows a rigid set of interface rules that allow the design concepts of one program to match that of another, allowing new users to simply master one organization of features and use that information across the system. This consistency gives mac its characteristically out-of-the-way design and sense of thorough quality. By giving Ubuntu a similarly universal set of guidelines and enforcing them throughout the system, we can come much much closer to the dream of a universally accessible GNU/Linux system, add polish, and contribute to the greater Free Software movement. I guess what I'm envisioning is a much more strict and detailed version of the GNOME Human Interface Guidelines.
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will_in_wi wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 02:14
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I think this is pretty close to impossible, considering the current nature of KDE/Gnome relationships, but anything can happen. I think that at minimum this requires kde and gnome to agree on a very strict hig.
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ninjaRakun wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 02:18
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It would be ideal, of course, but not feasible for an open source OS. If a program addresses a need it will be used whether it conforms to some guidelines or not. The Linux community cannot (and will not) decide to not use/allow a program because the UI is not consistent with some guideline. It's just part of the freedom of choice you have with FOSS.
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broomfighter wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 02:26
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You both misunderstand me. I am not advocating for a consistency across different desktop environments and I am not saying that would should deny useful apps entry. What I'm saying is that we should create individual guidelines for the two environments and over time customize included apps to be consistent with the guidelines.
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kundera wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 04:41
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In terms of basic interface design, it is otherwise known as 'nomenclature'. As a design concept, it is used to reinforce an organized sense of underlying structure. This helps to unify interfaces in an attempt to increase the learning curve. An example of this is the rightmost button at the upper right corner of any ms windows/mac window. Despite the fact that the windows button is an X and the mac button is an O, the user almost automatically knows from "prior experience" that it will close the window. And that is essentially, the beauty of nomenclature, the user does not have to 'think' so much before interacting.
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tioum wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:43
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kundera is so right.
Steve jobs wanted to call the mac "bicycle" because he wanted it to be as easy as a bicycle. The guys at xerox had the idea of the desktop metaphor. All of this is meant to bring intuitive user experience. You don't need help, man, rtfm and blah blah. It's obvious. Today linux-ubuntu has a gui but it's not consistent so it does not match its function of being human.
Like the mac developers had, you could have "Human interface guidelines". Maybe you don't need to be as strict as apple but at least you would educate the developers to better understand human needs.
Also, as you edit the ubuntu distro, you should be able to provide a "meta theme" feature that would change the whole look and feel in one click. This would be known as the UThemeChanger and would quickly be copied by others ;)
thx
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rawsausage wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 14:40
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Oh not much wrong with the Gnome HIG guidelines. It's the KDE folks that sometimes attempt to use GTK and end up looking silly. And yeah, the whole KDE which is a usability nightmare.
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jiu wrote on the 2 Mar 08 at 04:12
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I agree 100% with both:
- both KDE and GNOME-based ditros need theme consistency
- they don't need need to be consistent with one another
- system wide theme should be the default for all applications (example: firefox is a pain when using a dark GNOME theme). Had to customize userChrome.css and still doesn't work well, I can barely see what I'm writing at the moment.
- how do you deal with KDE apps under Gnome and vice versa? There should be some sort of matching between gnome and kde themes (at least the ones available by default) so that a similar-looking kde theme can be matched to the gnome theme in use (and vice versa).
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neon wrote on the 3 Mar 08 at 21:48
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I see this in KDE4, it felt really like...KDE. xD So I think GNOME should look more consistent too. =]
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recluse2 wrote on the 4 Mar 08 at 07:10
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What I would like to see, (and why I am voting this up) is when I apply a dark theme, I don't have to re adjust Firefox and open office to see the text again. I don't know why the icons, text,and cell frames in Spreadsheets become unusable whenever I change themes in the system.
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artir wrote on the 9 Apr 08 at 16:32
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+1googolplex if i could. This is one of the most important things.
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wearzeep wrote on the 13 Apr 08 at 16:24
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Yes, yes, yes!
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Warbo wrote on the 25 Apr 08 at 00:33
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Ha, I find it funny that the points made in the idea are not true at all. Macs may have fancy eye candy, they may be pretty much locked down in terms of hardware and for all intents and purposes software, but consistnt they are not.
Yes Apple have user inteface guidelines. Gnome and KDE have them too. Forcing anyone to use them, or to use a certain desktop, or anything, stifles innovation by volunteers, researchers and experimenters.
Apple's own software is inconsistent.
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Redrazor39 wrote on the 6 May 08 at 01:11
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YES
and to warbo, yes, apple's software is inconsistent to a degree, but what this person is suggesting is that we have one type of layout for certain applications as a standard for GTK/GNOME/Whatever and as efficiency research (meaning people figuring out what is bad in the current layout) continues, this set layout could change and updates could be issued for applications to make it match the newer layout better. It wouldn't be something that happens all the time, but after every release or two something minor might pop up and change.
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gabtrat wrote on the 27 Jun 08 at 23:21
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YES +1
There is something similar already...in the Add/Remove Programs window in Ubuntu there are icons next to the program description which tell if a program integrates well into gnome or KDE. Doing this would just mean setting up formalized standards and making an effort for programmers to follow the standards.
I think this is one of the biggest things that could help improve Ubuntu.
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