No More Human Theme

[daynah]

No more Human Theme? (https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/hardy-theme/)


Proposed Theme: EARTH Many of the themes on other distros are blue with a few green (Mint/SUSE). I suggest TEAL accented with blue and green. It would be a little different than the the other distros. It could consist of the gradient swirls that are popular.

Shwat?! You mean like this? (http://www.codeproject.com/vista/AeroGlassForms/AeroGlassForms.jpg)

Why brown is good:

- Brown is not currently popular, so it's easier to associate with Ubuntu than other things. (Example... my Asus laptop is white and everyone thinks is a Mac. Popular colors aren't the way to go.)

- Brown is a color that can "go with" everything. Possibly you are not stylish enough to realize this, but it can. It's a property of being made of out of all of the other colors (try it, mix every color of paint together).

- Brown is a "warm" color. The popular colors (white, blue, green), are cold colors that create a sterile look. Computers on their own have a very sterile feel, but this is an linux meant for n00bs. These noobs will feel more comfortable when the system doesn't look sterile, which is grouped with a feeling of... "don't touch, or you'll mess it up." Brown is cosy, warm... home.

If it's the same artists, the same level of artistry will be produced... with just a different color.

I say this knowing full well I can't make a theme to save my life.

So what if it's the color of poo? It's the color of you!

EDIT: The Color is not announced to be Black and Orange! (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071101-hardy-heron-visual-theme-planned-at-the-ubuntu-developer-summit.html)

[macogw]

Brown looks like yummy delicious chocolate frosting!

[Fbot1]

Brown looks like dark orange.

[Phil Airtime]

One of the first things I do on a new install is kill the brown. At present, I've got blue, but I might go pink soon.

The Ubuntu "home" colour scheme just makes me feel sleepy. Even these forums are in boring beige. Being "human" isn't about a dull colour palette of beige, brown and sickly orange, it's about all the colours of the rainbow, the colours that make up our world. Please, Mr Shuttleworth, can the brown!

[urukrama]

I really like the brown. It was one of the things that caught my eye when I first got to know ubuntu (in good old Breezy days, when the brown was still really brown).

[igknighted]

Yeah, I don't have a problem with brown, I have a problem with the Ubuntu theme itself. It just looks, well, bad. Look at Sidux, they ship with a brown background and it looks really good (now if they would just do something about the stock KDE panel...). So brown can work, but I agree with the OP, changing the color isn't the answer... the answer is getting the artists in the community (there have to be a few) to step up to the plate and design us something nice. I am not an artist by any stretch, unfortunately, otherwise I would help.

Look at Fedora. They shipped with great art for everything except window decorations. So one guy decided to do something about it and started doing it. He kept updates in the wiki and now it's incorporated into Fedora 8. So there's no "I'm not on the dev team" excuse... this is open source software, lets make the art ourselves and request its inclusion.

[50words]

Long live brown!

[p_quarles]

So what if it's the color of poo? It's the color of you!
I move that this be adopted as the new motto of the Ubuntu art team :D

Anyway, I agree with you about the color scheme. There's nothing wrong with it, and my hunch is that a lot of the people who complain about the default look of Ubuntu are actually bothered more by the Human icon theme than the color scheme. The icons are obviously trying to be an extension of the warm color scheme, but frankly they just look kitschy.

Personally I really like warm tones in a desktop theme, and my last few desktops have been built around them. I will say it's a lot harder to get them right than it is to get a decent looking blue and white theme, though.

[macogw]

I would like to see image-backgrounded panels be a default. Instead of the solid creme color, a glass or or at least glossy brown would look nice. At the very least, a bit of transparency!

[FuturePilot]

Still using the Brown here:guitar:
I like it.

[macogw]

I didn't use the brown until Gutsy because I didn't like the wallpapers until Gutsy. Warty had a nice wallpaper, but Dapper, Edgy, and Feisty were lacking (the "smooth chocolate" wasn't too bad, I like the dark theme, but it was rather boring).

[daynah]

macogw, mmm chocolate! I, also, keep a lot of the brown elements, but I change other things to transparent. Though, this is something we couldn't do by default.

Fbot1, you can make a "cold" brown. That's just adding more blue to the mix than red. Ubuntu specifically started using more reds (Dapper...) for that warm, earthy feel. Maybe I consider earth red 'cause I'm from Georgia and we literally have red dirt. Anyway, I had a whole day of art class to learn about the color brown, it was actually far more interesting than it seems...

Urukrama, I started with Breezy, too, but unlike you, I don't care which shade of brown it is. I just love brown. It seriously shares my #1 spot for my favorite color (with green, one of the colors being switched to, but don't pay attention to that!).

igknighted, I also don't like the Human THEME. But I like the "for humans" marketing theme. If that distinction made any sense at all.

For my "day with brown" we also took pictures of brown stuff. If I found them, some might make good wallpapers (but not really as defaults). I'm okay with the wallpapers, but just not the theme.

I'm glad to see others are "digging" (HAHAHA.. ha) the brown, too. :)

[Phil Airtime]

I really dislike the colour scheme and most of the marketing of Ubuntu. I mean, "Linux for human beings"? As opposed to what, Windows for space aliens and Margaret Thatcher? And those cringeworthy pics of photogenic models dancing around and lying on the floor with inane grins on their faces... what's that all about?!

But it's a top OS and I really like it, and that's what counts.

[daynah]

I really dislike the colour scheme and most of the marketing of Ubuntu. I mean, "Linux for human beings"? As opposed to what, Windows for space aliens and Margaret Thatcher? And those cringeworthy pics of photogenic models dancing around and lying on the floor with inane grins on their faces... what's that all about?!

But it's a top OS and I really like it, and that's what counts.

Just to explain the marketing, the "for human beings" is another way of saying "for everyone, even if you happen to be a complete moron."

Where as... Mac is for people who... I dunno, go to coffee shops and listen to music they think is indie but really isn't because by definition anything on iTunes isn't indie.

And Windows is for important business people who can pay to have their BSOD fixed.

Ubuntu is for everyone else. Except the animals. Some other linux nerd will have to make an OS for the animals. Maybe each release will be named after a human. "Crazy Caucasian" or something.

EDIT: And I like Thatcher. :P

[TeraDyne]

Dropping the brown? That's like stripping Ubuntu of it's Ubuntu. To be honest, if they go with that suggestion, I think that Ubuntu will lose it's aesthetic appeal. As it is right now, the brown is easy and pleasing on the eyes, and makes an excellent first impression from everyone that I've seen try it.

Seriously, leave the green to SuSE, the blue to Kubuntu, and the rest of the colors to the distros that they make sense on. Ubuntu is brown, and it's that way for a good reason.

[TeraDyne]

Ubuntu is for everyone else. Except the animals. Some other linux nerd will have to make an OS for the animals.P

*smacks daynah with the "smart" stick*

Furries use Ubuntu as well, my friend. That I can name off the top of my head, myself and Tailen, and I'm sure there are many others. So Ubuntu is really "Linux for Everyone". XD

Edit: I got your name wrong. I'm sorry. >_>;

[jrharvey]

I dont mind the brown but I HATE that ugly orangy/peachy color when you first log in. There is no way to change it in Gutsy and if there is then I dont know how.

[jrharvey]

I think they should keep the human theme but evolve it. Maybe change the default Gnome layout a little. More stunning GTK theme. I like the human icons. I found a pic of one and the second is my human themed desktop (Kinda)

[Mazza558]

I dont mind the brown but I HATE that ugly orangy/peachy color when you first log in. There is no way to change it in Gutsy and if there is then I dont know how.

Look at the login preferences.

[multifaceted]

The brown default theme is very easy on the eyes and appears inviting but, I just don't particularly care for it. I prefer a more polished look. Then again, that's just me.

I have use the default them a few times though. I usually prefer a dark theme but, no one can get it right, lol.

The best dark theme I have ever seen and still use is called 'Eminence' by a guy named Xero. Yes, I know... it's for WindowBlinds but, it's what I rock at work where we use WinXp

I would love to see that theme for Gnome, it's the sheit!

Check it----------------------->

http://www.wincustomize.com/zoom.aspx?skinid=5758&libid=1

[multifaceted]

Strange, my thumbnail didn't show up...

Try this>> http://www.wincustomize.com/zoom.aspx?skinid=5758&libid=1 (http://www.wincustomize.com/zoom.aspx?skinid=5758&libid=1)

[brownknight]

I love brown. Maybe making it glossy will be more cool!

[xat_]

I really dislike the colour scheme and most of the marketing of Ubuntu. I mean, "Linux for human beings"? As opposed to what, Windows for space aliens and Margaret Thatcher?

... Maybe as opposed to Linux? Ubuntu only happens to be one of the most welcoming Linux distros ever. Or are you willing to contest otherwise?

[urukrama]

Here are two brown desktops/themes I had some time ago. Not the human theme, but dark brown colours. I'm still fond of both of them. If used properly brown beats everything else.

Brown is cool! :-D

[Nano Geek]

Long live the Brown!

[Phil Airtime]

Long live the Brown!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Gordon_Brown_2005_IMF_close.jpg/430px-Gordon_Brown_2005_IMF_close.jpg

[Ebuntor]

I think they should keep the human theme but evolve it. Maybe change the default Gnome layout a little. More stunning GTK theme. I like the human icons. I found a pic of one and the second is my human themed desktop (Kinda)

Jrharvey I absolutely love that theme, a beautiful example of mixing black and (dark) brown. Could I download it somewhere? :)

[Nano Geek]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Gordon_Brown_2005_IMF_close.jpg/430px-Gordon_Brown_2005_IMF_close.jpgI don't get it.
Could you explain?

[TeraDyne]

Here are two brown desktops/themes I had some time ago. Not the human theme, but dark brown colours. I'm still fond of both of them. If used properly brown beats everything else.

Brown is cool! :-D

If I can get the same color brown from the first one in a theme for KDE, GNOME, and Afterstep, I'd be in heaven. That is one beautiful theme.

[MellonCollie]

I've always thought the Human theme, from Dapper onwards, was more orange than brown.

[50words]

I would like to see image-backgrounded panels be a default. Instead of the solid creme color, a glass or or at least glossy brown would look nice. At the very least, a bit of transparency!

I use a simple 24px-high gradient I made in GIMP with the default theme. While I would like to see something more glassy as the default theme, I also don't mind using my own.

[jrharvey]

Jrharvey I absolutely love that theme, a beautiful example of mixing black and (dark) brown. Could I download it somewhere? :)

I got all my stuff at gnome-look.org. Also you guys should take a look at studio21. They make some really beautiful linux desktop themes. I think the ubuntu theme could use some studio21 tweaking.

[Mazza558]

I don't get it.
Could you explain?

That's Gordon Brown, the English Prime Minister (well, techincally he's Scottish, but...)

[srt4play]

what can brown do for you?

[Nano Geek]

That's Gordon Brown, the English Prime Minister (well, techincally he's Scottish, but...)aww, Thanks


what can brown do for you?:lolflag:

[Ebuntor]

I got all my stuff at gnome-look.org.

Yeah I've been searching for it at gnome-look.org but I can't find it. What's it called?

[Phil Airtime]

what can brown do for you?

Gord giveth... Gord taketh away.

[bobbocanfly]

I don't get it.
Could you explain?

Thats Gordon Brown the British Prime minister.

[jrharvey]

Yeah I've been searching for it at gnome-look.org but I can't find it. What's it called?

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/OrangeLiNstaBlackPlastic?content=62434

[Ebuntor]

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/OrangeLiNstaBlackPlastic?content=62434

Thank you, I just downloaded it, it looks great. Would be perfect as an semi-black alternative to the normal Human theme.

[daynah]

Sorry about the furries. :(

urukrama, WHAT is that theme? It's gorgeous!

[PartisanEntity]

I like the theme, it is one of the things that made me try Ubuntu, it looked unique.

[RAV TUX]

I always thought the Ubuntu Human Theme was Tan.

[jrharvey]

I like the theme, it is one of the things that made me try Ubuntu, it looked unique.

The thing that drove me to ubuntu was the security, virtualbox and virtually virus free OS. The theme is nice but it does need some tweeking.

EDIT: Oh yes and cant forget free software and 64bit!!!!

[Vadi]

I like the Human theme, and kept it.

It also makes it easier to associate it with Ubuntu in the media, so it should stay. If you don't like it, you're free to change it!

[daynah]

I always thought the Ubuntu Human Theme was Tan.

That was sarcasm, surely?

[urukrama]

urukrama, WHAT is that theme? It's gorgeous!

The first one is Groove. Openbox (http://box-look.org/content/show.php/Groove?content=66092) * Icewm (http://box-look.org/content/show.php/Groove?content=67877) * Gtk (http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Groove?content=66120) I might create a Metacity version of it soon. It is inspired by Heylove (http://heylove.deviantart.com)'s Aesthic Groove Visual style

The second one is Terrene: Openbox (http://box-look.org/content/show.php/Terrene?content=67434) * gtk (http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Terrene?content=67435)

[arkara]

it's not the default theme that's the problem.
but the bundled themes.in my opinion
there should be a matrix theme.
a debian theme(exactly how the original distribution looks).
and about 50 themes that will make ubuntu more customizable.

[Vadi]

www.gnome-look.org

[jrharvey]

it's not the default theme that's the problem.
but the bundled themes.in my opinion
there should be a matrix theme.
a debian theme(exactly how the original distribution looks).
and about 50 themes that will make ubuntu more customizable.

I AGREE with this guy

[daynah]

it's not the default theme that's the problem.
but the bundled themes.in my opinion
there should be a matrix theme.
a debian theme(exactly how the original distribution looks).
and about 50 themes that will make ubuntu more customizable.

Yeah! Let's put 50 themes on it! And a wallpaper to go with each one! And Amarok since that's great!

This DOES have to fit on a CD remember?

[macogw]

The first one is Groove. Openbox (http://box-look.org/content/show.php/Groove?content=66092) * Icewm (http://box-look.org/content/show.php/Groove?content=67877) * Gtk (http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Groove?content=66120) I might create a Metacity version of it soon. It is inspired by Heylove (http://heylove.deviantart.com)'s Aesthic Groove Visual style

The second one is Terrene: Openbox (http://box-look.org/content/show.php/Terrene?content=67434) * gtk (http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Terrene?content=67435)
Do Openbox themes work with Fluxbox?

[bruce89]

Brown's good, Ubuntulooks isn't.

Ubuntulooks hasn't been majorly modified since Dapper. In fact, it was a fork of an ancient version of Clearlooks. I use Clearlooks with brown colours instead.

[perce]

Brown is relaxing. I stare at the screen about 10 hours a day, I don't want flashy colours.

[Presto123]

Here's an idea for the Earth theme. (FYI: it sounds like a good baseline theme.)

It goes along as he says, but give the Compiz guys a heads-up to merge the cube idea onto the globe. IE: make the globe become the alternate desktops where you can turn it as you do the cube and be a part of the desktop (When enabled). Each Continent could be a desktop minus one to be even. To make it even and not seem out of place, your home continent could serve as the "Home" desktop, AKA desktop 1.

[FranMichaels]

:confused:

I have set up multiple boxes with Ubuntu for my family, besides myself (I can't help but play with the colors), they have kept the default theme, and just changed the wallpaper.

Has anyone had similar experiences or felt the same way?

I have never had a complaint, and when I've offered to show how easy it is to change, no takers.

Hmph... panel background gray with black text, input boxes etc with a white background and black text... That covers almost all the light GTK themes I've encountered...

In all honesty the Ubuntu theme wasn't brown enough for me, so I added a touch of color. ;)

I digress, the Human Theme is great, but can be improved. The color brown (chocolate!!!) should not be scrapped, as others mentioned, you know Ubuntu stands out from the crowd.

Lastly, will users that tried Ubuntu, try it with a teal theme, and be like "Wow, this is so much better, there is some teal in there!" :biggrin:

P.S. For color schemes, I just stumbled upon agave in the repositories. It can pick matching colors from a base color, it is so so cool! :KS

[osxcapades]

I never liked the Human theme. I think that, by default, Ubuntu looks like something released 10 years ago.

[erisianmonkey]

About half of my free time has been spent lately in trying to customize ubuntu without breaking it. (The compiz/titlebar thing, the GDM taking forever and a day to go from login to functioning gnome desktop, and a load of other problems.) Rather than change the Human theme to Earth, or whatever, they should concentrate on making the customization an easier process- Grub splash, usplash, GDM login screen, Gdm splash can all be changed, and in most cases with a GUI tool, but one has to poke around the repos and dig through the information on these forums to find out how to do it all. I'm no programmer, but since the basic processes to do all this has already been done, can't this be integrated into the appearance thing that has the wallpaper? The point is, rather than changing the Human theme, why not just make it easier for folks to customize?

[TeaSwigger]

To my humble, it's not the concept of the brown color per se. Different is often a great plus in itself, and I do think there is value in the human theme to many users and potential users. To my whim, it's getting too yellow and beige; I'd rather it be golden or earth brown with chocolate and a good earthy, elemental red accent. More African savanna, less Lion King, if that expresses.

Now the new Fluxbuntu, that's beautiful and distinctive without being blue or anything often considered to be "sterile." Like many strong themes, after your become a little familiar with it you may wonder why it wasn't done that way before.

[jrharvey]

I think the new Ubuntu human theme should be earth tones and colors from the savanna with maybe a prairie or jungle wallpaper. I still like the image i posted earlier. The human icons can stay but some of the uglier ones need to be tweaked a bit.

[urukrama]

Do Openbox themes work with Fluxbox?

No, they are composed differently. I might port Groove to Fluxbox in the somewhat near future, though.

[Erik Trybom]

These threads seems to be popping up every now and then. I just don't get it. If you don't like the default theme, change it! That's what so great about Linux. Anything you don't like, and you can ditch it at will.

[mike102282]

This is true, but first impressions are everything.

[Gremlinzzz]

I think it should be blank no theme cause no matter what theme is default someones not going to like it.if you make it a vista someone will complain that its to glossy if you make it black someone will say its to dark.if ya make it blue its to common.Ya cant please everyone so make it a gray blank .:lolflag:

[-grubby]

I think it should be blank no theme cause no matter what theme is default someones not going to like it.if you make it a vista someone will complain that its to glossy if you make it black someone will say its to dark.if ya make it blue its to common.Ya cant please everyone so make it a gray blank .:lolflag:

what do you want? A monochrome desktop!

[mike102282]

Yea I think thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard lets just have a grey screen. That will really drive the people to Ubuntu.

[Gremlinzzz]

Yea I think thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard lets just have a grey screen. That will really drive the people to Ubuntu.

I think thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard.think complaining about human theme is even dumber.its not like you paid for it .plus like i said you cant please everyone.

[Nano Geek]

Yea I think thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard lets just have a grey screen. That will really drive the people to Ubuntu.I think he's just kidding.

[mike102282]

I think thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard.think complaining about human theme is even dumber.its not like you paid for it .plus like i said you cant please everyone.

So if you don't pay for it. Its OK to just put out something so ugly noone would want it. If Ubuntu is going to go mainstream they need to have some kind of image and a Grey screen isn't going to cut it. You might as well not have a GUI then.

[Gremlinzzz]

The person who created the human theme doesn't think its ugly .probably put allot of thought and work into it. so you don't like the Grey idea.how about pure black and a browser icon.

[mike102282]

No you need something to drive people to Ubuntu don't some plain ugly mess.

[PmDematagoda]

I just love the Human theme of Ubuntu, it would break my heart if Ubuntu decided to stop using it:(. And the Human theme is not a mess.

[mike102282]

I meant having a plain black backround. I am with you I like the human theme. :)

[PmDematagoda]

A plain black background is not attractive, what are you talking about?

[PmDematagoda]

I think the new Ubuntu human theme should be earth tones and colors from the savanna with maybe a prairie or jungle wallpaper. I still like the image i posted earlier. The human icons can stay but some of the uglier ones need to be tweaked a bit.

True, the HD icons could use some work.

[igknighted]

So if you don't pay for it. Its OK to just put out something so ugly noone would want it. If Ubuntu is going to go mainstream they need to have some kind of image and a Grey screen isn't going to cut it. You might as well not have a GUI then.

LOL!

Dude, chill out... he wasn't actually suggesting a grey screen, merely poking fun at the rediculousness of these arguments.

[Vadi]

This is true, but first impressions are everything.

Consistency in the media is everything2.

[oneadvent]

The first thing I do when I do a fresh install of Ubuntu is scrub the Human theme. I go with a much glossier dark look. (Ok, fine, sometimes I go with Matrix.)

Its just that the brown theme has no dimension. I want my OS to look layered. And the wallpapers are too dark.

I agree though, if you don't like the human theme, it is only a few clicks away to change it.

[bruce89]

Just a wee bit of modification to Clearlooks's colours yields this.

48712


[Desktop Entry]
Name=Clearlooks Tangerine
Type=X-GNOME-Metatheme
Comment=Clearlooks with tangerine tangoesque icons
Encoding=UTF-8

[X-GNOME-Metatheme]
GtkTheme=Clearlooks
MetacityTheme=Human
IconTheme=Tangerine
GtkColorScheme=fg_color:#000000000000,bg_color:#ef efebebe7e7,text_color:#000000000000,base_color:#ff ffffffffff,selected_fg_color:#ffffffffffff,selecte d_bg_color:#d6d672722d2d
CursorTheme=default
CursorSize=18

[kaapu]

I'm pretty happy with my Human-theme with a customized panel and AWN dock.
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff96/pilotphotos/Screenshot-1.png

[Old Pink]

Brown/Orange = Ubuntu
Ubuntu = Good

OK, so we're the only distribution that uses brown or orange in their default color scheme. Why complain, when we're also the only distribution to have come quite this far?

[vexorian]

I like both the color and the theme itself, probably not a zealot fan of the title bars, they could use a red close button.

If people don't like it they should just change it.

I prefer brown 100 times over "wannabe blue".

Edit: The day ubuntu begins to try to imitate leopard or vista, will be a very sad day, the day I'll look for another distro...

[bruce89]

For the record, the colours are nice, but the Ubuntulooks engine isn't.

[vasiliymeshko]

I always change the background and GTK style to blue after a fresh install, but for me, the current human icon set is still unbeatable and fits in quite well.

[ltk5]

There's something special aout brown - when I first ran ubuntu, I felt calm because of the brown wallpaper and theme.
+ it's easy on the eyes.

It would be a shame to change it :(

[jrharvey]

I dont think the color scheme should change. I agree that it is calming but maybe it does need a bit more polish. I think the panels could use a more 3d look and the GTK could be a bit more 3d. Other than that I dont see a problem but this is more my opinion. I think the ubuntu color scheme represents a more natural feel and this is calming.

[argie]

It's nice branding. With those lovely animal wallpapers, it looks really good. My dad, for example, talks about how good Ubuntu looks compared to what he had to use when on a computer at the hospital (Windows XP). Proposed theme, Earth, interesting. No glass please, that removes the uniqueness.

[vexorian]

For the record, the colours are nice, but the Ubuntulooks engine isn't.
I love ubuntulooks. That's the problem we will never be able to make eveyrone happy with looks this is the reason changing the theme looks like a fruitless thing to do.

Earth is a good idea for a theme, I suggest we had a single dialog at the beginning of the live cd to choose between human and earth.

But the idea to have only one default theme then human must stay, it is ubuntu's identity, and changing it will make half happier and the other half less happier , there is no win in that...

Just making the theme changing options easier to find is imho a much better approach.

[Hortinstein]

the guys in our lug call human "baby poop"...its time for a redesign

[Gremlinzzz]

ya dont like the color or the panel bars so heres the next theme according to survey
http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=48754&stc=1&d=1193964594

[Gremlinzzz]

this is a good one:lolflag:
http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=48756&stc=1&d=1193965640

[Boaslad]

LMAO.. love that all black theme.. I may have to try that.

In the 5 months I have been using Ubuntu, I have changed the themes at least a dozen times. Thats one of the beauties of using Linux instead of Windows. At least with Linux there is a choice. Funny, though. I keep coming back to the brown. I kind of like it.

[gruvsyco]

Some reasons the default theme fails IMO (and this IS just MY opinion)...

Some consistency: One of the first things I change is the toolkit theme to QtCurve. For me, it's important that whatever app I run on my system looks uniform. I largely run Gnome but hands down, Amarok is the only music player right now that does what I expect... I'm also very reliant on Skype which is a QT app. QtCurve gives all widgets a unified appearance.

...Another benefit of using QtCurve is it allows me to easily control my theme colors (both KDE and Gnome simultaneoulsy) through Kcontrol. This means, I find one color scheme that I like (for KDE) and I can use it across ALL my applications.

I also believe it's important for Ubuntu and any other linux to try maintaining a somewhat unique appearance to it's desktop. A window border that is functional, attractive yet unique will help a lot in achieving the Ubuntu identity. The current "looks" themes for the most part to me feel a little MS windows-ish. I change borders around a bit but, I almost always go back to Blended. The main importance of a border theme to me is that it gets it's colors from the existing color theme.

Wallpapers are probably the easiest thing for anyone to change... here, I think Ubuntu should just keep it really simple. Foresight Linux (whose wallpaper I'm actually currently using) has one wallpaper with transparency, that appears to also be able to change it's color based on some part of the theme or be set independently (I haven't figured this out entirely yet).

As far as icon themes go, again, I would just want to make sure the icon sets are consistent throughout both KDE and Gnome themes. I use to really love the Tango theme but it's starting to feel a little bit dated... lately I've been using the Oxygen icons from KDE4... the colors are a little too saturated for my own tastes but, it has a unique and modern feel to it and I can seem to get enough of the icons to work across Gnome and KDE.

The last piece of this whole puzzle is the color scheme. First and foremost when they pick their ubuntu colors, they really need to make sure the colors are complimentary. As far as the brown vs. blue vs. whatever else... I think if they really wanted to stick with the brown, they could easily make it work and be attractive. There are a few people on here that have made VERY appealing brown themes. IMO, the largest failing of the color choice here is that they've taken a color that is largely less appealing and over saturated it making it even less appealing.

Now, if you've read this far in my post, I applaud you, I'm not sure I would (lol). My suggestions of specific theme elements are not a "please pick mine" but more an example of why I've chosen what I have and how bloody close we really are to having some consistency across the board.

My last little suggestion for the next theme, whatever it is, is to take a little tip from the OpenSuSE guys... where they have chosen to use the OpenSuSE logo throughout their theme, it appears relatively small and is always subtle. I chose Ubuntu Linux, I know I chose Ubuntu Linux... I don't need a big, gawdy logo to be displayed EVER while my system is booting or running. Leave that for the install/demo CD or whatever.

[macogw]

Some reasons the default theme fails IMO (and this IS just MY opinion)...

Some consistency: One of the first things I change is the toolkit theme to QtCurve. For me, it's important that whatever app I run on my system looks uniform. I largely run Gnome but hands down, Amarok is the only music player right now that does what I expect...

Have you tried Exaile? It's like a GTK+ Amarok, but you can get layout themes to change how things are arranged. I like the layout themes because while I like its feature-set, I don't like the left-hand-side tabs it has (same reason I don't like Amarok, other than disliking Qt) and that lets you rearrange things.

I'm very partial to red. I'd like to see more red-brown than orange-brown.

Before I saw Gutsy's wallpaper (which I love), I used a black theme. With that, I had a GDM splash from Arc.h Linux which was distro-agnostic. It just says "LINUX" I don't like distro-specific wallpapers so much either because I dual-boot between Ubuntu and Debian, and this lets me have settings which work in both instead of being silly with an Ubuntu wallpaper while running Debian.

[vexorian]

Some reasons the default theme fails IMO (and this IS just MY opinion)...

Some consistency: One of the first things I change is the toolkit theme to QtCurve. For me, it's important that whatever app I run on my system looks uniform. I largely run Gnome but hands down, Amarok is the only music player right now that does what I expect... I'm also very reliant on Skype which is a QT app. QtCurve gives all widgets a unified appearance.

...Another benefit of using QtCurve is it allows me to easily control my theme colors (both KDE and Gnome simultaneoulsy) through Kcontrol. This means, I find one color scheme that I like (for KDE) and I can use it across ALL my applications.

I also believe it's important for Ubuntu and any other linux to try maintaining a somewhat unique appearance to it's desktop. A window border that is functional, attractive yet unique will help a lot in achieving the Ubuntu identity. The current "looks" themes for the most part to me feel a little MS windows-ish. I change borders around a bit but, I almost always go back to Blended. The main importance of a border theme to me is that it gets it's colors from the existing color theme.

Wallpapers are probably the easiest thing for anyone to change... here, I think Ubuntu should just keep it really simple. Foresight Linux (whose wallpaper I'm actually currently using) has one wallpaper with transparency, that appears to also be able to change it's color based on some part of the theme or be set independently (I haven't figured this out entirely yet).

As far as icon themes go, again, I would just want to make sure the icon sets are consistent throughout both KDE and Gnome themes. I use to really love the Tango theme but it's starting to feel a little bit dated... lately I've been using the Oxygen icons from KDE4... the colors are a little too saturated for my own tastes but, it has a unique and modern feel to it and I can seem to get enough of the icons to work across Gnome and KDE.

The last piece of this whole puzzle is the color scheme. First and foremost when they pick their ubuntu colors, they really need to make sure the colors are complimentary. As far as the brown vs. blue vs. whatever else... I think if they really wanted to stick with the brown, they could easily make it work and be attractive. There are a few people on here that have made VERY appealing brown themes. IMO, the largest failing of the color choice here is that they've taken a color that is largely less appealing and over saturated it making it even less appealing.

Now, if you've read this far in my post, I applaud you, I'm not sure I would (lol). My suggestions of specific theme elements are not a "please pick mine" but more an example of why I've chosen what I have and how bloody close we really are to having some consistency across the board.

Consistency among KDE and gnome, is something but that's no reason to change the theme, could just make a human QT theme and adapt the human icons to KDE, and KDE4 is gonna follow opendesktop specs for icon themes. So, it's gonna be possible.




My last little suggestion for the next theme, whatever it is, is to take a little tip from the OpenSuSE guys... where they have chosen to use the OpenSuSE logo throughout their theme, it appears relatively small and is always subtle. I chose Ubuntu Linux, I know I chose Ubuntu Linux... I don't need a big, gawdy logo to be displayed EVER while my system is booting or running. Leave that for the install/demo CD or whatever.

May I ask you what are you talking about? All the ubuntu logos in the default gutsy theme are logos in some about dialogs and the one in the menu bar for Applications. And the splash logo. There is not even a logo in the wallpapers.

[daynah]

Black and Orange? Is this a Halloween prank? (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071101-hardy-heron-visual-theme-planned-at-the-ubuntu-developer-summit.html)

As much as people have been posting they like black, really... with orange?

If ya'll wanna keep the brown but with a different theme please help me let the art team know :)

[evolutionx]

Personally I prefer the Ubuntu Studio default theme to the Ubuntu Human theme. I vote make UbuntuStudio the default theme.

http://ubuntustudio.org/files/US2.png

[Gremlinzzz]

The good thing is everyone can change there theme to there liking.except the noobs .The themes that are in the manager don't really change stuff just colors,think the answer to all the complains about themes is to add radically changing themes in the theme manager for the noobs.ya most complaints come from noobs.thats when i complained think it was yesterday :lolflag:

[daynah]

The good thing is everyone can change there theme to there liking.except the noobs .The themes that are in the manager don't really change stuff just colors,think the answer to all the complains about themes is to add radically changing themes in the theme manager for the noobs.ya most complaints come from noobs.thats when i complained think it was yesterday :lolflag:

Complaints come from noobs? It's the noobs we're trying to get. Noobs are the reason we have bug #1.

This is very important. Even if it's changed immediately (I admit, I change to compiz, with the first theme I find, because I hate ClearLooks), it's important. It's important because first impressions matter. Whatever that person thinks at the first impression is going to stick, so we need to make sure it's something fabulous.

Also, this is important in an marketing aspect. Colors bring about pride. Tribes, school colors, fraternities, (coughgangscough)... they all use colors to signify their pride. We need a color or two to rally around for our pride... or a mascot, or something. We already have that. We have BROWN. If we switch the color now, we've lost all of the branding type marketing work we've done up to this point and we start at base one.

In addition, changing colors shows sloppiness. You and I all realize that we're just a buncha bums working together to make something great. But if we're out against Bug #1, we can't look like a buncha fickle bums changing our mind all the time. We need to look like professionals.

We have brown. We need to stick with brown.

Go Big Brown!

[brk3]

if it ain't brown it ain't ubuntu

[Gremlinzzz]

all we are saying is give noobs a choice.themes package manager doesn't have interesting themes.there icons and there panel bars are all the same as default. keep the brown but give noobs a choice. :guitar:

[Gremlinzzz]

all we are saying is give noobs a choice.themes package manager doesn't have interesting themes.there icons and there panel bars are all the same as default. keep the brown but give noobs a choice. :guitar:

by the way im using main menu does anyone know how to change the icon button i want to change the ubuntu logo to a start icon,

[argie]

When I saw Earth, I thought they were talking about mud, sand, earth. That would be nice. I would love a wallpaper that centred around cracked earth, and a browny theme that evoked that kind of earth.

[daynah]

if it ain't brown it ain't ubuntu

It was at the end of the page so I just wanted to repeat it. It's worth the extra bandwidth.

[tech9]

No more Human Theme? (https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/hardy-theme/)



Shwat?! You mean like this? (http://www.codeproject.com/vista/AeroGlassForms/AeroGlassForms.jpg)

Why brown is good:

- Brown is not currently popular, so it's easier to associate with Ubuntu than other things. (Example... my Asus laptop is white and everyone thinks is a Mac. Popular colors aren't the way to go.)

- Brown is a color that can "go with" everything. Possibly you are not stylish enough to realize this, but it can. It's a property of being made of out of all of the other colors (try it, mix every color of paint together).

- Brown is a "warm" color. The popular colors (white, blue, green), are cold colors that create a sterile look. Computers on their own have a very sterile feel, but this is an linux meant for n00bs. These noobs will feel more comfortable when the system doesn't look sterile, which is grouped with a feeling of... "don't touch, or you'll mess it up." Brown is cosy, warm... home.

If it's the same artists, the same level of artistry will be produced... with just a different color.

I say this knowing full well I can't make a theme to save my life.

So what if it's the color of poo? It's the color of you!

EDIT: The Color is not announced to be Black and Orange! (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071101-hardy-heron-visual-theme-planned-at-the-ubuntu-developer-summit.html)

I like Mint's theme

[daynah]

Argie, yeah, sand and dirt and cool would be good. But they're going with... Halloween for 6 months (or longer if you do the LTS thing).