You are viewing a plain text version of this content. The canonical link for it is here.
Posted to dev@allura.apache.org by Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net> on 2015/10/12 22:29:07 UTC
Removing tool icons from nav bar?
tl;dr Should we remove the tool icons from the project nav bar?
I've been working with Heith on
https://forge-allura.apache.org/p/allura/tickets/7920/ (and 7919) for a quick
easy way to edit tools via the toolbar. How the tools icons show up during edit
mode is one aspect of that. It might be easier to just remove them.
I don't have a real strong opinion on keeping or removing the icons. I think
they do provide some value, but are inconsistent, dated, and limited (e.g. no
icon for Activity so we just use the "gears" icon). If we remove them, Allura
would look a little bit more modern. But then you start to realize how much
boring gray we have covering the whole page. If we did remove them, I'd suggest
a small delimiter between them not unlike the SourceForge theme of Allura
(example: https://sourceforge.net/p/coils/news/)
We also show tool icons on the Tool Admin page (which we'll probably remove
after the toolbar admin mode is done) and the Add Project page.
Thoughts, pros, cons?
--
Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
http://www.brondsema.net : personal
http://www.splike.com : programming
<><
Re: Removing tool icons from nav bar?
Posted by Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net>.
Here's a quick sample of how it could look:
http://content.screencast.com/users/brondsem/folders/Jing/media/f7475b34-69d7-47b9-aadb-9f9d59d620f2/00000009.png
Still would need some work to make it good (if we did want to do it).
On 10/15/15 5:14 PM, Dave Brondsema wrote:
> A subtle color per tool type sounds pretty interesting. One idea that comes to
> mind is a bottom border under each tool. Example: Google search when you switch
> between Web, Images, etc, but have it there all the time.
>
> If there's no dissent with removing icons, I suppose we can proceed with it.
>
> On 10/13/15 5:25 AM, Igor Bondarenko wrote:
>> +1 in favor of removing icons (agree with all of Heith's arguments) and
>> adding some kind of delimiter between them for visual separation. I think
>> it actually will look more compact and clearer than what we have now.
>>
>> On Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 12:04 AM, heith seewald <he...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I would vote in favor of removing the icons for the following reasons:
>>>
>>> 1) Because we have more tools than available icons, their meaning becomes
>>> ambiguous and make them less effective.
>>>
>>> 2) New icons are required for newly created tools, meaning we would need
>>> to use an existing icon, or design a new icon with a consistent look and
>>> feel.
>>>
>>> 3) If we keep the icons, we'd probably want to update them for hi-dpi
>>> screens.
>>>
>>> 4) While I agree they add character to the site, I think "less is more" in
>>> this case. Removing the icons would draw the eye to the content rather than
>>> the toolbar -- resulting in a higher signal-to-noise.
>>>
>>> One way of giving a feel of consistency and visual appeal is the use of
>>> color.
>>> Here is a modern example of color being used to group elements
>>> https://elements.polymer-project.org
>>>
>>> Any thoughts about that?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 4:29 PM, Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> tl;dr Should we remove the tool icons from the project nav bar?
>>>>
>>>> I've been working with Heith on
>>>> https://forge-allura.apache.org/p/allura/tickets/7920/ (and 7919) for a
>>>> quick
>>>> easy way to edit tools via the toolbar. How the tools icons show up
>>>> during edit
>>>> mode is one aspect of that. It might be easier to just remove them.
>>>>
>>>> I don't have a real strong opinion on keeping or removing the icons. I
>>>> think
>>>> they do provide some value, but are inconsistent, dated, and limited
>>> (e.g.
>>>> no
>>>> icon for Activity so we just use the "gears" icon). If we remove them,
>>>> Allura
>>>> would look a little bit more modern. But then you start to realize how
>>>> much
>>>> boring gray we have covering the whole page. If we did remove them, I'd
>>>> suggest
>>>> a small delimiter between them not unlike the SourceForge theme of Allura
>>>> (example: https://sourceforge.net/p/coils/news/)
>>>>
>>>> We also show tool icons on the Tool Admin page (which we'll probably
>>> remove
>>>> after the toolbar admin mode is done) and the Add Project page.
>>>>
>>>> Thoughts, pros, cons?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
>>>> http://www.brondsema.net : personal
>>>> http://www.splike.com : programming
>>>> <><
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>
--
Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
http://www.brondsema.net : personal
http://www.splike.com : programming
<><
Re: Removing tool icons from nav bar?
Posted by Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net>.
A subtle color per tool type sounds pretty interesting. One idea that comes to
mind is a bottom border under each tool. Example: Google search when you switch
between Web, Images, etc, but have it there all the time.
If there's no dissent with removing icons, I suppose we can proceed with it.
On 10/13/15 5:25 AM, Igor Bondarenko wrote:
> +1 in favor of removing icons (agree with all of Heith's arguments) and
> adding some kind of delimiter between them for visual separation. I think
> it actually will look more compact and clearer than what we have now.
>
> On Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 12:04 AM, heith seewald <he...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I would vote in favor of removing the icons for the following reasons:
>>
>> 1) Because we have more tools than available icons, their meaning becomes
>> ambiguous and make them less effective.
>>
>> 2) New icons are required for newly created tools, meaning we would need
>> to use an existing icon, or design a new icon with a consistent look and
>> feel.
>>
>> 3) If we keep the icons, we'd probably want to update them for hi-dpi
>> screens.
>>
>> 4) While I agree they add character to the site, I think "less is more" in
>> this case. Removing the icons would draw the eye to the content rather than
>> the toolbar -- resulting in a higher signal-to-noise.
>>
>> One way of giving a feel of consistency and visual appeal is the use of
>> color.
>> Here is a modern example of color being used to group elements
>> https://elements.polymer-project.org
>>
>> Any thoughts about that?
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 4:29 PM, Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> tl;dr Should we remove the tool icons from the project nav bar?
>>>
>>> I've been working with Heith on
>>> https://forge-allura.apache.org/p/allura/tickets/7920/ (and 7919) for a
>>> quick
>>> easy way to edit tools via the toolbar. How the tools icons show up
>>> during edit
>>> mode is one aspect of that. It might be easier to just remove them.
>>>
>>> I don't have a real strong opinion on keeping or removing the icons. I
>>> think
>>> they do provide some value, but are inconsistent, dated, and limited
>> (e.g.
>>> no
>>> icon for Activity so we just use the "gears" icon). If we remove them,
>>> Allura
>>> would look a little bit more modern. But then you start to realize how
>>> much
>>> boring gray we have covering the whole page. If we did remove them, I'd
>>> suggest
>>> a small delimiter between them not unlike the SourceForge theme of Allura
>>> (example: https://sourceforge.net/p/coils/news/)
>>>
>>> We also show tool icons on the Tool Admin page (which we'll probably
>> remove
>>> after the toolbar admin mode is done) and the Add Project page.
>>>
>>> Thoughts, pros, cons?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
>>> http://www.brondsema.net : personal
>>> http://www.splike.com : programming
>>> <><
>>>
>>
>
--
Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
http://www.brondsema.net : personal
http://www.splike.com : programming
<><
Re: Removing tool icons from nav bar?
Posted by Igor Bondarenko <je...@gmail.com>.
+1 in favor of removing icons (agree with all of Heith's arguments) and
adding some kind of delimiter between them for visual separation. I think
it actually will look more compact and clearer than what we have now.
On Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 12:04 AM, heith seewald <he...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I would vote in favor of removing the icons for the following reasons:
>
> 1) Because we have more tools than available icons, their meaning becomes
> ambiguous and make them less effective.
>
> 2) New icons are required for newly created tools, meaning we would need
> to use an existing icon, or design a new icon with a consistent look and
> feel.
>
> 3) If we keep the icons, we'd probably want to update them for hi-dpi
> screens.
>
> 4) While I agree they add character to the site, I think "less is more" in
> this case. Removing the icons would draw the eye to the content rather than
> the toolbar -- resulting in a higher signal-to-noise.
>
> One way of giving a feel of consistency and visual appeal is the use of
> color.
> Here is a modern example of color being used to group elements
> https://elements.polymer-project.org
>
> Any thoughts about that?
>
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 4:29 PM, Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net>
> wrote:
>
> > tl;dr Should we remove the tool icons from the project nav bar?
> >
> > I've been working with Heith on
> > https://forge-allura.apache.org/p/allura/tickets/7920/ (and 7919) for a
> > quick
> > easy way to edit tools via the toolbar. How the tools icons show up
> > during edit
> > mode is one aspect of that. It might be easier to just remove them.
> >
> > I don't have a real strong opinion on keeping or removing the icons. I
> > think
> > they do provide some value, but are inconsistent, dated, and limited
> (e.g.
> > no
> > icon for Activity so we just use the "gears" icon). If we remove them,
> > Allura
> > would look a little bit more modern. But then you start to realize how
> > much
> > boring gray we have covering the whole page. If we did remove them, I'd
> > suggest
> > a small delimiter between them not unlike the SourceForge theme of Allura
> > (example: https://sourceforge.net/p/coils/news/)
> >
> > We also show tool icons on the Tool Admin page (which we'll probably
> remove
> > after the toolbar admin mode is done) and the Add Project page.
> >
> > Thoughts, pros, cons?
> >
> > --
> > Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
> > http://www.brondsema.net : personal
> > http://www.splike.com : programming
> > <><
> >
>
Re: Removing tool icons from nav bar?
Posted by heith seewald <he...@gmail.com>.
I would vote in favor of removing the icons for the following reasons:
1) Because we have more tools than available icons, their meaning becomes
ambiguous and make them less effective.
2) New icons are required for newly created tools, meaning we would need
to use an existing icon, or design a new icon with a consistent look and
feel.
3) If we keep the icons, we'd probably want to update them for hi-dpi
screens.
4) While I agree they add character to the site, I think "less is more" in
this case. Removing the icons would draw the eye to the content rather than
the toolbar -- resulting in a higher signal-to-noise.
One way of giving a feel of consistency and visual appeal is the use of
color.
Here is a modern example of color being used to group elements
https://elements.polymer-project.org
Any thoughts about that?
On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 4:29 PM, Dave Brondsema <da...@brondsema.net> wrote:
> tl;dr Should we remove the tool icons from the project nav bar?
>
> I've been working with Heith on
> https://forge-allura.apache.org/p/allura/tickets/7920/ (and 7919) for a
> quick
> easy way to edit tools via the toolbar. How the tools icons show up
> during edit
> mode is one aspect of that. It might be easier to just remove them.
>
> I don't have a real strong opinion on keeping or removing the icons. I
> think
> they do provide some value, but are inconsistent, dated, and limited (e.g.
> no
> icon for Activity so we just use the "gears" icon). If we remove them,
> Allura
> would look a little bit more modern. But then you start to realize how
> much
> boring gray we have covering the whole page. If we did remove them, I'd
> suggest
> a small delimiter between them not unlike the SourceForge theme of Allura
> (example: https://sourceforge.net/p/coils/news/)
>
> We also show tool icons on the Tool Admin page (which we'll probably remove
> after the toolbar admin mode is done) and the Add Project page.
>
> Thoughts, pros, cons?
>
> --
> Dave Brondsema : dave@brondsema.net
> http://www.brondsema.net : personal
> http://www.splike.com : programming
> <><
>