[Bug 834204] Re: New Software Center icon unclear at normal size

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

Daniel, that is beautiful work, thank you. I have shown it to Otto
Greenslade, the lead visual designer at Canonical, and we have a few
comments.

First, the Dash applications lens icon on the bag is vivid, and has a 3-D inset appearance. This doesn't really match the idea that a bag would be made of thin material. (And USC lets you install things that aren't applications.) I don't think using an Ubuntu logo on the bag would be "confusing" as Jeremy suggested. The only issue (which may be positive or negative) is that it's quite common:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Android_Market.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Windows_Marketplace_for_Mobile_icon.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chrome_Web_Store.png

Next, as far as I know, the four places where this icon will be seen most often are, in order:
(a) the Unity launcher, against a background that averages the colors used in the icon (bug 838050);
(b) the Dash, against a background that is some greyish color, by default greyish-purple;
(c) developer.ubuntu.com, against a white background;
(d) "Get this on Ubuntu" or similar buttons on software vendor Web sites, against a background yet to be decided (possibly black).

So the second issue to tackle is that we can't tell whether the icon
fixes *this* bug without testing it against (a) whatever orange tint the
Unity launcher generates for it. There's more of a difference with your
icon as it is <http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8307/workspace1004.png>
than with the current icon, but that would change as you removed the
Dash applications lens from the bag. To test it, enter this at a
terminal: "sudo cp your-icon.svg
/usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/softwarecenter.svg && sudo gtk-
update-icon-cache -f /usr/share/icons/hicolor && software-center-gtk3".

Third, rotating the bag to face straight on does make the icon more
distinct at small sizes. However, it also makes the icon look less like
a shopping bag at any size (it could just as easily be a suitcase or
satchel). And it also means the white sparkles would disappear
completely against (c) a white background, because none of the inside of
the bag is visible to act as a backdrop for them. So, maybe we should
use the straight-on perspective only for the smallest sizes, and keep
the angle for larger sizes?

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/834204

Title:
  New Software Center icon unclear at normal size

Status in Ayatana Design:
  In Progress
Status in “software-center” package in Ubuntu:
  In Progress

Bug description:
  Today's new Software Center icon does not appear to me to be an
  improvement over the old design. The new design seems to forget that
  icons should be legible at a variety of sizes. Even at 128 x 128
  pixels (which I think may only be used in the default Ubuntu install
  in the new Alt-tab switcher and the Software Center itself when
  looking at the Software Center's install page itself in the Software
  Center), the individual components are nearly impossible to make out.

  This could be fixed by using the same large category icons (earth and
  calculator) or at least the same scale. Two or three components
  instead of 10 would be a big improvement.

  Also, a stuffed and slightly overflowing bag (like the previous icon)
  is a better visual metaphor than items either exploding from the bag
  (as it looks when not against a white background, ie in the dash or in
  the launcher) or hovering in the air above the bag.

  New 128x128 size: http://cdn.omgubuntu.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/softwarecenter.png
  Old 128x128 size: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SoftwareCenter?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=softwarestore.svg

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
  Package: software-center 4.1.19
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-9.12-generic 3.0.3
  Uname: Linux 3.0.0-9-generic x86_64
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Thu Aug 25 18:45:58 2011
  PackageArchitecture: all
  ProcEnviron:
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: software-center
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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