Re: [libreoffice-design] [VI] Consistent theme for screenshots

Hi Jean, all,

Jean Hollis Weber schrieb:
> [...]
>
> I agree with you that any colour chosen should harmonize with the
> positive attitude of our branding.
>
> I also agree that Green 1 is a bit aggressive. Green 2 will do; it
> prints well enough. Blue 2 seems a bit too bright when viewed in colour,
> but it prints fine. Blue 3 looks better to me, but the contrast with
> white text isn't so good; using Blue 3 with black text is much better in
> print. However, I haven't found a way to change the text in dialog box
> title bars from white to black.

At least on my Ubuntu it depends on the theme used - some have black 
texts, some white ones. I don't see an option to change them 
independently either.
> I still am not convinced that there is any real marketing or other
> advantage to having coloured title bars and highlighting *in the user
> guide illustrations* -- I don't see why they need to be the same, as the
> purpose and use of the two are different, and the screenshots themselves
> will be different (so no reuse advantage to us).

I think there are reasons to use the same screenshots in user guides and 
marketing material - e.g. including a new feature in the user guide.

If such a feature has already been presented with a screenshot based on 
the common theme, this screenshot might be re-used.

And the other way round: If someone wants to show some of the best 
features in LibreOffice as part of his presentation, it would be easy to 
use screenshots from the user guides.

You're right that marketing oriented screenshots just showing the 
product are not suitable for documentation and screenshot of option 
windows are most likely irrelevant for marketing needs.

I see the common branding as platform both areas should work together. 
Consistency improves recognition and should be tried to achieve - but we 
shouldn't go as far to give branding a higher importance than the goals 
the teams want to achieve with their work:

If consistency would lead to minor quality in documentation or 
marketing, we definitely should look for two different themes.
> To me having the user guide screenshots in gray DOES have advantages FOR
> THE USERS: they are less likely to be distracted by the difference
> beween whatever colours they see on their screen and the gray in the
> screenshots; and the gray looks less "foreign" to Mac users.

While I understand the reasons for a greylevel version based on printing 
cost, my perception of online documentation is different.

Nearly all the screenshots I see are in color (just try a Google image 
search on "screenshot" or "documentation").

You're right that grey title bars look more common than colored ones in 
a different color than the user's theme.

With a LibO green (preferable from branding POV) we definitely differ 
from the user's desktop (at least in the colored version) - but this is 
on purpose: A mental link between "new green in screenshots" and "green 
LibreOffice" establishes our branding in a broader sense.

> But it's not my decision, and I'm not a marketing expert, and the vocal
> people all seem to want the user guides and the marketing material
> (website etc) to match... so I'm just looking for a good compromise
> solution.

Reading your follow-up mails, I'd support Libre Green 2 as highlight 
color in Clearlooks theme.

What I'd like to know is: Does this combination work well for visually 
impaired people?

If we can get an affirmation from the accessibility list, I think this 
topic could be closed soon.

Anybody able post a screenshot with
- Clearlooks theme
- Font: Liberation bold
- Font size: 11 pt
- Highlight foreground color: Libre Green 2 (#43C330)
to the list accessibility@global.libreoffice.org and ask for comments?

Looking at the wiki page 
http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Color_blindness_issues discrimination 
between foreground and background (or white text in headings) might work 
well, even if green is quite similar to orange.

Jean: Are these modifications to the Clearlooks theme the ones you propose?

Best regards

Bernhard

PS: From what I read here on the list I don't think we need a formal 
voting to come to a common proposal. If your impression is different, 
please raise your concerns - I just don't want to postpone Sigrid's and 
others work.

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