Iconise button

Shouldn’t the Iconise button be “on” by default? I know it’s just an option away but still.

I think Ursula was going to have it enabled by default.

It’s now on by default for the Pi + OMAP ports. Not sure what the plan is for Iyonix + IOMD, I think ROOL want to avoid upsetting any purists ;-)

It’s now on by default for the Pi + OMAP ports. Not sure what the plan is for Iyonix + IOMD, I think ROOL want to avoid upsetting any purists ;-)

Pah, I started with a BBC B bought through a sponsor deal with GEC, the low point was when there was nothing much happening because ROL and Castle didn’t agree and the whole platform was heading up its own…

Purist? Stuff that, if it works and people like the way it works then it goes in.

It’s like the switcher icon argument – Acorn is dead, get used to it. RISC OS is alive and isn’t Acorn, so why should it have have an acorn as a logo? That said the multi-colour cog is FLAT (despite Andy R’s comments to the contrary) and needs work. Perhaps the likes of nemo could cast the graphic design eye over the switcher and offer possibilities.

It’s now on by default for the Pi + OMAP ports.
Oh, that’s okay then – I was almost certain it was off for the Alpha images that I had tried.

It’s like the switcher icon argument – Acorn is dead, get used to it. RISC OS is alive and isn’t Acorn, so why should it have have an acorn as a logo? That said the multi-colour cog is FLAT (despite Andy R’s comments to the contrary) and needs work. Perhaps the likes of nemo could cast the graphic design eye over the switcher and offer possibilities.

I don’t just think the cog is flat, it’s also not much use as an icon, seeing as it has a big hole in the middle. And if the Switcher icon has a second use (one of identifying and marketing the OS) then the cog is even worse at that. Obviously we can’t include the Acorn switcher due to trademark issues but I think it made for a very identifiable image and I still use it. Michael Drake, in another thread, proposed a stylised oak leaf as a nod to the Acorn past – I think it’s quite attractive. Can’t find said thread right now though…

Michael Drake, in another thread, proposed a stylised oak leaf as a nod to the Acorn past – I think it’s quite attractive. Can’t find said thread right now though…

I do like that idea, and to horribly mis-quote!
“Out of little acorns do mighty oak trees grow!”

All things considered, I’m half used to the general cog bit but think if it stays it needs more depth.
Of course it need to grab attention more – maybe a cpu temperature or speed or time overlay?

Didn’t someone do an Apps icon clock to combine desktop real estate?

Anyway – back to Red Dwarf. 10 done, classic starting.

Perhaps the likes of nemo could cast the graphic design eye over the switcher and offer possibilities.

Kind words. I am of the belief that the logo in the advert is the logo on the box which is the logo on the manual and the logo on the case and that logo is the switcher and appears on system things. ie one logo identifies and represents the ‘computer’.

Here is the iconbar we were going to use for the Nucleus. (Sorry about the text under the drive icons – I’m running the wrong version of the WIMP right now). Note that the Nucleus logo was used as described above.

It’s like the switcher icon argument – Acorn is dead, get used to it.

I understand that, but if you’re running RISC OS on a RiscPC there’s a great big Acorn staring you in the face. It’s on the computer’s case. It may still be on your monitor. It’s on the manuals. It should therefore be the switcher, IMO. On a Raspberry Pi, I’d expect a little Raspberry icon there.

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see hardware that runs RISC OS in the same light of anonymous commodity that I see PCs. Apple have made a lot of money tying the identity of the box to its contents (you don’t get to run MacOS on something without an Apple on its case), while PC manufacturers have struggled to build brand loyalty (because the thing with the logo on it is under the desk, not in front of the user’s eyes, so all PCs ‘look’ the same – Windows).

and that logo is the switcher

I certainly agree with that, though I would like to see the switcher (and default theme) of development versions (after the first official even no. version) using the ROL (2d) cog (and a specific theme), to clearly differentiate between them and an OEM system.

I hope any theme switching will treat the switcher as a separate item from the rest of the icons.

I would like to see the Acorn as the switcher on IOMD, (and a 16 colour Icon set), the jellybean on the Iyonix, and the Pi logo on the Pi. (And a 3d cog for any non branded even no. releases.)

I understand that, but if you’re running RISC OS on a RiscPC there’s a great big Acorn staring you in the face.

Well, sitting here I’m looking at something other than the RPC, but unless my memory is a bit dodgy the RPC has a cube in the switcher spot because I didn’t leave it on the original release software install.

That said, you will note it doesn’t have the later release marking that cam with Select and I haven’t softloaded the IOMD ROOL release as it would chuff up the mail setup that the wife uses. (When I have a solution to that then things will move around a little.)

Meanwhile just 4ft to the side in an alcove is the OMAP build, and when I’ve cleared space there will be a Pi build.

I don’t decry the idea that people should be able to load in a different theme from the default, but the default needs to be specific to the source of the software. Hence my suggestion that some one with an artistic bent might produce a set (or two) of system icons with templates for the production of matching application icons for the throngs of developers coming in. OK, the last bit hasn’t happened but unless there is a coherent platform to aim at who would come?