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

Marc,

I would be happy to do the screenshots for any OS X version of LibreOffice. My only concern is 
somewhat in line with Larry's, actually. From what I hear, most OS X users really do expect 
applications to fall into line with Apple's HIG, which is why many Java programs aren't that 
popular on the OS X platform-- they stick out like a sore thumb.

Does that mean we have to follow the default Aqua color scheme? I don't think so-- there are 
several very popular programs that certainly don't adopt the graphite/gray. Microsoft Office breaks 
the guidelines and general conventions and still prevails (though admittedly this may be because of 
its market share overall).

Although I don't think users would mind different colors, I would recommend at least leaving the 
option to switch to "default" colors and icons, if only because some users really do prefer a 
consistent theme overall. The recent popularity of the Elementary Project in the Linux world seems 
to be a demonstration of this, to say nothing of the longstanding criticism leveled at programs 
that override GTK+ themes to no real advantage. Also keep in mind that OpenOffice.org had an entire 
project devoted to "Mac-ifying" it, which was the NeoOffice project.

We may gain more users by not being bombastically different, is all that I'm saying.

Sincerely, 
-- 
Christopher Lee
Executive Director
Champion Debate


On Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:16 AM, Marc Paré wrote:

> Hi Christopher:
>
> Le 2011-07-06 23:51, Christopher Lee a écrit :
> > Marc,
> >
> > What Larry's referring to overall is Apple's Human Interface Guidelines (
> > http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/AppleHIGuidelines/XHIGIntro/XHIGIntro.html),
> > which basically define what's "expected" from Apple programs. Many programs
> > will conform to these guidelines, which impose general color schemes,
> > scrollbars, and conventions more or less analogously to what GTK does for
> > Linux (there's a shell script that makes Ubuntu use the Aqua theme-- it well
> > shows how Aqua and GTK function in similar ways with regards to interface
> > design). It shouldn't be deadly difficult to find how the others use these
> > sets, though I don't think it requires that much.
> >
> > Though Larry, plenty of people use MSO for Mac, which definitively does
> > break the HIG.
>
> Ahh, thanks for the information. I know that there has been talk of 
> having a separate Mac set of screenshots.
>
> IMHO, if we can make LibreOffice colours show on desktops then it will 
> be great marketing feat. I would imagine that if the LibreOffice green 
> sticks out in a sea of "blue or graphite", then people will notice it. I 
> don't think people will complain of the LibreOffice software quality 
> because it displays different colours. I guess we would then be 
> considered the "nasty rebels" on the Mac platform ... ironic when you 
> consider the Mac has TV commercials depicting itself as a rebel to 
> MSWindows. :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> Marc
>
>
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