unity-design team mailing list archive

[mac_v <drkvi-a@xxxxxxxxx>]

H S wrote:
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Ayatana:  "Ayatana's goal is to build a set
> of well researched and defined technologies to help extend, improve and
> refine the Open Source desktop"
> 
> Shouldn't that mean that Ayatana should have some oversight, or at
> least, be made aware of, certain highly visible projects?
> 
> For example, the slideshow that will show during the Ubiquity install
> for Karmic
> (https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/ubiquity-slideshow) will be
> the first impression that many new users will have of Ubuntu. 
> Shouldn't the Ayatana Team at least keep an eye on - and at most, lend
> some design and communication skills and polish to - this project?  If
> left to their own devices, I'm afraid the project will only produce a
> very 'rinky-dink', amateurish outcome that will not leave a good first
> impression.
> 
> I've already tried to lend my design opinions at
> https://lists.launchpad.net/ubiquity-slideshow/maillist.html, but to
> little or no avail. :-(
> 
> I could suggest other projects as well, but I'm curious what people
> think.  Is Ayatana just about starting new projects, or is it also
> about participating in highly visible (to the end-user) projects, so
> that good, consistent, well-designed 'look and feel' is persistent
> throughout the Ubuntu experience?
> 

+1...

I think that this requires the guidance from the Desktop Experience Team...

Since they have done user testing , they know explicitly what the new
users expect/look for/miss in Ubuntu...

I'v seen the slideshow, But i'm not sure of the design...
Right now ,For a particular topic, It has 3 tiny screenshots are used in
a 800x600 background slide , with a lot of text... Which seems a bit too
much info , though essential info, seems to overwhelm the viewer.

A better way would be to:
1: split the text into 3 and use 3 LARGER [800x600] Screenshots as the
background and loop the 3 screenshots + 3Lines for that topic, Until the
user moves to the next topic...
2: the text should NOT be in a particular fixed location, the text is
placed in the empty space allowed as by the different screenshots...
3: If possible a pleasant music playing in the background [water
fall/breeze ]...

The splitting of the text + the varied positioning of the text , makes
it look as if the text is minimal and more "fun/interesting"...

Something to make the images flow into each other, as done here>
http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/810features/ the .jpg images
are looped ,could be used , which if done for a particular topic would
create a nice animated video feel.

Cheers,
mac_v