Pandora Desktop Environment Prototype Try 2 (screenshots And Videos)

[Mithrildor]

Wow those new icons are really awesome..

 

[IsSuE]

Hey wesbrown. I don't know if you've seen these yet, so I want to make sure these icons make it into this thread as well. They aren't done yet, but they're actually pretty far along:

They're currently all just in one giant SVG file, but will eventually be exported into png's.
Further updates on this icon set will be posted here. SVG file can be found here.


+1 for those icons, really good stuff

 

[MDave]

Going with a color coded theme for these icons, files that fall under the same type of media get a set color to make it very easy to navigate when searching through folders with lots of different file types Oh last icon is for unknown file types. Don't worry, I've got 35 of the most popular file extensions covered

Here is one set with the extension name layed over the icon:

And here they are without the extension names.

Which looks better/more useful? Any suggestions?

 

[sindbad]

@MDave

.BIN isn't usually used for executable binary files, so that may be confusing.

I don't see the need to make a distinction between c and header files. Just consider them all "code" and be done with it.

Same with oga/mp3 and ogv/mp4/mkv/avi/whatever. Picture, Video, Sound is much better.

Archived files need a better icon. Something to do with compressing some sort of object with some sort of tool maybe.

 

[joseluisjazz]

I fundamentally agree with sindbad's opinion about thematic icons.
So the categories I would propose are these:

audio (mp3,ogg,flac,tak...)
video (avi,mkv,mp4...)
pictures (jpg,jpeg,bmp,png...)
compressed files (zip,ace,gz...)
docs (odt,txt,pdf...)
code(c,h,cpp,pyx,4th,php,css...)
images (iso,mdf,bin,nrg...) [not sure about *.bin though]
scripts (perl,py,sh,lua...) [it could be also parte of CODE if it's confusing]

And if it's possible to assign an icon based on permissions, there could be an icon for the executable files... But I can imaging how confusing it would be for normal users when mounting a fat32 SD from a windows system, if the options aren't well configured...

 

[MDave]

@sindbad + joseluisjazz:

I don't think you read my first paragraph I did mention that media that falls under the same category will use the same icon/color. I've got 35 different types that go under those 8 main types.

BIN files fall under the compiled data type, like rom,iso,so,elf for example.

I understand that not all files are possible to execute, however it wouldn't look right having icons for things you can and the default unknown icon for things you can't.

This better for compressed archives?

 

[joseluisjazz]

@MDave

Yes, of course I read your first paragraph. I think there must be some sort of misunderstanding. At the end you asked for suggestions. So I suggested changes in your selection of main types: mainly, the addition of a volume_image type and the supression of the headers type. Or is that set in stone?

But you think it's better that isos & roms, fall in the same category as executables and libraries, well.. could be. But I see that differentiation more important than the one for code and headers, for example.

And lastly, the new icon for compressed archives is much better. And if the details in the picture of the file being compressed result too tiny for pandora's screen, it could be simplified. But yes, its very good now.

EDIT: typos

 

[sindbad]

Sorry about not reading stuff carefully. Yes, the new compressed file one is much better

I still think executable files should either have a special icon or a special tag over that icon.
Also, maybe it would be better to have a category for iso, nrg, roms and whatever other disk images and a different one for elf binaries.

 

[MDave]

Ahh sorry my post wasn't too clear I guess I won't go with the file extension names over the icons. Too much work (and possibly taking up unnecessary RAM/disk space). But I hear matchbox supports Tiny-SVG ... hmmm.

Nothing is set in stone yet I'll condense the .c and .h icons into just one type, and add a type just for volume images or I exclude the executable files and put them in their own type like suggested. BUT! Won't Pandora specific applications and games come with their own icons/images for executing, using the PXML format?

Thanks for the suggestions. So this is how it could be sorted:

Audio files
Picture files
Video files
Volume Image files
Compressed Files
Document Files
Code files
Script files
Non-Executable Binary Files
Executable Binary Files

10 types, nicely rounded up

EDIT: Oh snap, just got a brilliant idea for the icon styles. Expect something very fitting

 

[sindbad]

BUT! Won't Pandora specific applications and games come with their own icons/images for executing, using the PXML format?
Not all might. PXML is basically the equivalent of .desktop files and a package manager for regular linux desktops. There will be executable binaries not linked to an app or apps with several of them and it may be helpful to quickly show the (advanced) user that a certain thing can be run.

Btw, did I say that I think they look great? Bonus points for SVG.

 

[Username]

I agree with sinbad and the other guy. More generic file icons would be best.

 

[adamorjames]

Looking great MDave!

 

[MDave]

Thanks for the feedback!

Scratch that other great idea I had, didn't work out well at all. Basically, it was a 3D box, with symbols on the sides to show what type of icon it was. You know, to go along with the theme of pandora's box? Well, turns out its pretty hard to make out what those the icons are on the box, even at 96 x 96 size icons (which is what I made the icons at anyway). The 3rd dimension squashes things too much.

Here's an update on the other icons anyway

 

[hells_dark]

Hum..nice
But i wonder how the icons would look like with a little more volume..

 

[joseluisjazz]

@MDave
This is getting better and better

The only think that I don't really like is the executable icon. The unknown extension icon is ok, but it's too similar to the executable one; maybe if you add something more to the executable one, like a glowing halo, or a guy running or leave the Pandora's logo and modify it to be a surprise box, one of those with a spring inside, hehe, or something getting out could be fine. Maybe I'm crazy, dunno.

And by non-executable you mean.. *.so *.a *.o *.bkp for example? I was dubious about that icon but I think I like it.

yea..

EDIT: more typos
EDIT2:
ok I have an idea for the executable icon. Let's see if you like it. Picture a small green plant with two or three leaves that is glowing and growing out of the pandora's logo... neat

 

[Yod4z]

the picture image is not good looking it need some parallels line with the icon border. All this icon are great i like them and i want to see them running on real pandora ^^

 

[klikklak]

I thought this looked really sweet. I've been in the wiz camp, but seeing proper multitasking and knowing that this'll be an always on device is really having an impact on me. Now if this would just be available some day.

 

[hells_dark]

I'd love to see the icon set in action (battery icon, clock icon, some file icons, the wesbrown18 window decoration, etc) with matchbox !

And what about the font ? has it been discussed yet ?
We need a good semi bold font !

 

[adamorjames]

I think the unknown icon should have a question mark instead of the OpenPandora logo.

 

[MDave]

Fixed the picture icon, thanks Yod4 for pointing that out
hells_dark, I designed the window decorations
Is that better adamorjames?

I'll get a screenshot of the theme in action once I figure out how to make my panel icons show up and not the default ones (for stuff like battery, wifi signal etc).