This? http://bit.ly/1Yl9Su This looks amazing? Really?
It looks fine... but maybe the linux dudes have standards lowered a bit?
It looks fine... but maybe the linux dudes have standards lowered a bit?
The url is:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FJH0hYZmVtc/SsuTeVas_WI/AAAAAAAADl...
I actually fought with the linux UI for ages to make it look visually appealing. Invariably I always ended up using MS Window fonts, and Mac-style UI.
If you look closely at the screenshot you'll notice that it'll only take a few minor adjustments to make it actually look appealing: - Appropriate fonts (rather than those overly rounded ones) - Slimming down of grotesquely large UI text boxes. - Slimming down of grotesquely large dropdown controls. - NOT using rounded corners everywhere.
You'd be amazed how radically the UI can be improved from just these minor changes.
Ironic that they chose this screenshot, given that GIMP is a project mainly concerned with graphics and visuals.
BUT I think you are correct, some UI elements, especially in the palettes are too large.
How about "it looks REASONABLY GOOD" or "it looks ABOUT LIKE YOU MIGHT EXPECT"?
I can't say any of that, it's rude - but it's what I'm thinking.
Look at the right hand side - count the scrollbars, the dropdowns, the counters. What's that hideous layer control thing that's like a treeview/gridview with nested scrollbars sized to suggest it should be huge, crammed into a tiny little space? Grim.
Yes, its 100px wider, but still, imho Photoshop makes a lot better use of precious screen space. Compare the buttons under layer palettes. GIMP has 32px icons, while Photoshop has over 10px smaller ones. Or the slider, in Photoshop under "Navigator" and in GIMP in the Layers palette. Actually just compare Layers palettes in each. GIMP uses lots of superfluous labels and huge font size compared to Photoshop In my screenshot Photoshop also has 2 more palettes on screen.
Photoshops UI is also quite flexible, allowing to move and resize palettes freely, dock and undock, and group palettes to tab-groups. And layouts can be saved and then selected with just few mouse clicks. This allows it to scale across monitor size and count relatively easily.
edit: Sorry for inflammatory Photoshop vs. GIMP post
But relief and anticipation aside I have to agree with you that as far as aesthetics and design it is rather mediocre.
Edit: Did all of my downvote arrows disappear? I don't want to downvote anyone in particular here but that seems odd.