unity-design team mailing list archive

[zekopeko <zekopeko@xxxxxxxxx>]

It's not exactly like Windows 7 does it. If they did it like Windows 7
there would probably be no need for complaints.

Currently every icon has a colored background. Before every icon had a
border and would get colored when the app is running.

Contrast that with Windows 7 where icon have no border or background
color when inactive. When you start an app it becomes a button with a
border but no background color. Only when you mouse over is there a
soft colored glow around the currently running app/icon.

On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 7:41 PM, Mark Curtis <merkinman@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> That's how it was until the most recent Unity update. It's also how it was
> when I originally wrote the email.
> My point was the highlight aka colored background, whether it is always
> shown or only on an open application, should have more thought behind it
> than "welp it's exactly what Windows 7 does".
>
>> From: zekopeko@xxxxxxxxx
>> Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:37:38 +0100
>> Subject: Re: [Ayatana] Better use of backlight in Unity launcher
>> To: merkinman@xxxxxxxxxxx
>> CC: ayatana@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 4:29 PM, Mark Curtis <merkinman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>> > Upon experimenting with Unity I've noticed the backlight for running
>> > applications. Is there a particular usability reason that the color of
>> > the
>> > backlight is exactly like that of Windows 7 where it is the predominate
>> > color? I'm not saying Windows (or OS X) should never be copied because
>> > of
>> > some NIH syndrome, but that before it is copied, it should be seen why
>> > it
>> > was done and if it adds to usability.
>> > If the colors aren't any sort of usability factor, then why not make it
>> > so?
>> > Maybe the background color could be based on the category the
>> > application
>> > came from, this may help users find what category an application is in
>> > if
>> > they used another computer.
>> > Another idea is to make the background white and then it changes to
>> > green/blue/red for the same reasons as the indicator applet to bring
>> > about
>> > some consistency.
>> >
>>
>> You mean the colored background around the icon correct?
>>
>> If so I think that it reduces usability. There is too much color
>> flying around the Launcher now. I would like if non-active apps had no
>> color or border around them. The running ones should have the
>> backlight. Basically copy Windows 7 taskbar's behavior.
>
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