edubuntu desktop

[Philipp Schröder]

Hi all,

I must say I agree 100% with Tom.

I was reluctant to speak up as well, for similar reasons.

However, the new default desktop is very distracting. And I agree in
Tom's judgement that it won't win over older students... :-(

+ 1 for Jonathan Carter's "Waves" (it's only 1024x768 pixels, though)

Love, Philipp


P.S.: I went looking for different desktop backgrounds on the
art.ubuntu.com and wiki.edubuntu.org sites. I couldn't find the
"original" background at all. I really liked it. Has it been withdrawn?
Is there a copyright issue with it?


Tom Hoffman wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> I'm very reluctant to bring up issues at this late date or to
> criticize volunteer contributions, but when I had to reboot my
> edubuntu desktop for the first time in a while, I was taken aback by
> the new Edubuntu Default desktop.
> 
> The retouched drawing of a girl with a superimposed smiley face
> staring at me off my desktop is just creepy, and while it is
> impossible to please everyone, I think one of the top priorities of a
> default deskop image is to be not disturbing to any potential users.
> 
> Also, I don't understand what the stripes at the bottom of the screen
> are supposed to be doing graphically, and I don't even want to start
> with the politics of a perfectly white girl on the desktop of a
> distribution aimed in part at the developing world.  Nor do I really
> understand why she's reclining.
> 
> Beyond that, it is my understanding that Edubuntu is aimed at primary
> and secondary schools.  My other objections notwithstanding, this
> desktop would be completely inappropriate for older students.
> 
> I keep an artist with an MFA in digital media living in my parlour for
> circumstances like this one, and I've tasked her with cranking
> something out by tomorrow, so perhaps I'll have a last minute
> submission.  Otherwise, I would strongly urge the project to play it
> safe and use Jonathan Carter's "Waves" background on the
> art.ubuntu.com site.  It is important to remember that this desktop
> pattern will often be repeated over 20 or 30 displays in a lab.  It
> ought not to be overly loud or busy.
> 
> --Tom
> 

-- 


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Philipp Schroeder
DIN15 / Information Architecture & Interaction Design
www.din15.org, philipp at din15.org