New, refreshed system look / theme

[lothalev]

I've already shared my thoughts on this topic on PCBSD blog, but thought more people might read it on the forum, so here it goes:

I have an idea about a cosmetic change in PCBSD. Maybe it'd be possible to include QtCurve theme engine as a default one both in installer and in the installed system.

QtCurve is a great tool making GTK1/GTK2/GNOME/QT/KDE applications look consistent. It can emulate the look of Windows, Clearlooks, Plastik themes and is highly configurable.

I think that users expect a consistent look of their system and don't care if the app is written in GTK or QT. It would bring PC-BSD closer to 'The Desktop OS' using just a simple trick.

Additionaly, using the same theme both in installer and later in the installed system allows the user to see how the system might look and behave before actually installing it.

QtCurve sources are available on kde-look.org and contribute only a meg or two to the total system size, which is not a lot.

[dracheflieger]

Good points and it's pleasent looking (http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php?content=40492&vote=good&tan=51432182) enough. I wouldn't mind it as long as it didn't introduce any other 'gotchas'. PC-BSD 1.3 looks like it will change many things, especially the setup scripts. Keep in mind that we will soon have FreeBSD 7.0, Xorg 7.1 and KDE 4.0 to be incorporated probably by the end of this year or soon after.

[TerryP]

It'd be nice to intregrate GTK/QT LnF.

I'm crazy though, I like GTK app's looks but I hate their save file dialogs that seem to show up in every one of them!

Why to use GTK+ instead of QT?

I don't want to pay for QT to port it to windows when I can just use GTK and worry about porting it to GTK3 hehe.

[antik]

Good points and it's pleasent looking (http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php?content=40492&vote=good&tan=51432182) enough. I wouldn't mind it as long as it didn't introduce any other 'gotchas'. PC-BSD 1.3 looks like it will change many things, especially the setup scripts. Keep in mind that we will soon have FreeBSD 7.0, Xorg 7.1 and KDE 4.0 to be incorporated probably by the end of this year or soon after.

Blue Curve is default theme for RedHat- why we should use it?

[dracheflieger]

I didnd't know that ;-)

I haven't used many Linices (and when I did, I never used them for over a week..I've got OpenSUSE at home and have only booted into it a half a dozen times...it seems really slow compared to PC-BSD) as I've always been at a FreeBSD command line till version 1.0 of this desktop. But would it bother me, no. Don't know how other would take it.

[Charles]

Yes, Blue curve is very old, actually, Fedora is using a new theme based on Clealooks, very nice, and I guess RHEL and Centos will soon use this theme as well, I hope :)

[rodonn]

something that would be good, if the install could detect ALPS/Synaptic touchpads out of the box....

[Charles]

I have an ALPSGlide touchpad. It works fine on any operating system, including PC-BSD. The only feature that I'm missing is the tapping feature.

[rodonn]

The point of ALP/Synaptic is gestures, tapping and scrolling... and that needs Ksynaptics/qsynaptics to work.

[marc]

Hmm wouldn`t QT Curve slow down some older machines with PC-BSD installed ... ?
You need to leave a user with CHOICE. That`s a most important thing.
He can choose QT Curve, or normal style and he/she doesn`t have to use anything what`s "default" for someone else.
That`s what I think.

[rodonn]

Part of the device ID?

[lothalev]

Hmm wouldn`t QT Curve slow down some older machines with PC-BSD installed ... ?
You need to leave a user with CHOICE. That`s a most important thing.
He can choose QT Curve, or normal style and he/she doesn`t have to use anything what`s "default" for someone else.
That`s what I think.

Well, I'm sure it won't slow anything down. This theme is configurable. Default settings could be chosen to not make it a resource-eating eye-candy, just a plain, aesthetic and comfortable environment.
The following is a screenshot of my desktop (it is actually Linux, not BSD - but not that is important) showing Konqueror and GIMP with GTK+ file-open dialog:
http://ft.atr.bydgoszcz.pl/~madman/files/snapshot3.png

It is one of the simplier configurations of QtCurve, shiny and glossy look with tons of animations is also available, however I prefer a look and feel which doesn't disturb me doing my job...

BTW. Comment about Bluecurve is wrong. QtCurve != Bluecurve. Bluecurve-like look is just one of QtCurve's options. This theme engine is something you-have-to-try-at-home, to make your own opinion :)

[rodonn]

It's slightly 'Redmond' :)

[marc]

I already tried QTCurve and others with Linux.
Maybe it looks nice, but still - unortunatelly it isn`t as
good as win`s silver theme, which I even like.
I just don`t get angry while using it

[unix_Hussi]

I already tried QTCurve and others with Linux.
Maybe it looks nice, but still - unortunatelly it isn`t as
good as win`s silver theme, which I even like.
I just don`t get angry while using itI like the Windows silver theme...At work,I changed all the computers themes to the silver one (when no one was looking of course)One of the sterngts of the plastik theme is that it can be just about any color you want...

[marc]

One of the sterngts of the plastik theme is that it can be just about any color you want...

That`s right. Plus - it`s a clean, nice theme.