Gentoo branding on Desktop Environments and Applications

Tragetaschen · n00b Joined: 27 Nov 2003 Posts: 38

I like the idea of branding.

But I won't call the use flag plain "branding".
Instead I prefer "gentoo-branding" similar to the "moz-branding" use flag from firefox. This way it is self-explanatory.
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Paapaa · l33t Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 955 Location: Finland

I don't like the branding idea at all. I think it is totally useless and the wasted effort should be put to more important things.

nikaya · Veteran Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1471 Location: Germany

I like the idea of branding.It shows the identification to our beloved distro.
But it should be not set by default because Gentoo is all about choice.There is no problem setting it by hand if desired.
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Deathwing00 · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 11:39 am Post subject:

joker · l33t Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 681 Location: www

It's quite a good idea with branding flag (off default) but it should be more eye candy than https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=157519
maybe something like this?
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nikaya · Veteran Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1471 Location: Germany

Will there be one default-theme or are there plans to choose between various?
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Deathwing00 · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 1:04 pm Post subject:

Polynomial-C · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:29 pm Post subject:

Hi,

I like the idea of give some apps a gentoo-branding. I already did this with OpenOffice and the way it's done in openoffice is the way I'd prefer for other apps as well (using the "branding" useflag).

Cheers
Poly-C
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pablo_supertux · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject:

aidanjt · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject:

phajdan.jr · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject:

That would be impossible to do correctly then.

96140 · Retired Dev Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 1324

Just to be clear, we already have branding in place in the Portage tree, and it is turned off by default.

What Deathwing00 is proposing (near as I can tell) is to make that branding the same look'n'feel, across applications and desktop environments. Basically, if you enabled the branding USE flag, you'd get (as an example) the Lila theme/suite regardless of KDE, Gnome, Xfce, etc. The icons, colors, buttons, window borders, and so on would be part of the same theme regardless of application or desktop.

So his next proposed step is to find that consistent look, create the art for it, and so on. (Obviously, Lila was just an example, not what will be proposed).

As a side note, Ubuntu does this to some extent; you'll notice that any packages you install blend very well with the environment, and that they have the same color schemes, artwork, icons, and so on between Ubuntu and the {K,X,Fl}ubuntu subdistros.

Deathwing00 · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject:

Flammie

cynyr · n00b Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 21

I would like to see it be a USE flag, and have it enabled in the profiles by default. If you don't want the branding, then just set "-branding" in make.conf and continue on with life. I would also be okay with it being disabled by default and setting USE="branding" in my make.conf. Now that I think about it that seems to be the better solution.

tobr · Guru Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 330

IMHO this is wasted time, but I'm not here to tell devs what to do with their time :wink:

So if this gets implemented I would like it to be turned off by default. This reminds me too much of that time where I used windows and the drivers from my ISP branded IE with their logo during installation (what kind of stupid crap is this?). It's not that the apps in portage differ that much from upstream (at least they shouldn't), so it's not that Gentoo(tm) openoffice is spectacularly different from "plain" openoffice.

When I used mandrake "back in the days" I also thought it was annoying how they put their logo everywhere (they even replaced the "K" from the KDE-menu with their star), for me this sounds too much like marketing and has nothing to do with technology, which should not be the focus of a distro like gentoo.

So don't get me wrong, I'm OK with this as long as it is a use flag (after all gentoo is about choice, that's why we love it, right?) but I won't be supporting it either. *shrug* If people want it, make it available to them.

EDIT: OK, I got this a bit wrong, this seems to be about themes, too. This is something I couldn't care less about as the first thing I do anyway is customizing my desktop. So the wasted time bit still stands :wink:

. Feedback from the devs/maintainers is IMHO the most important thing, because they have to implement it. I'd rather see bugs fixed than logos added and colours adjusted.

Xake · Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject:

Fire Hazard · Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:54 pm Post subject:

I always enjoyed starting Gnome and be welcomed by the Gentoo branding. And I think it's a great idea to have the option for all/most programs to all have the same look with the gentoo branding. But as an idea I think there should be the application logo on splash screens with the current version. I'm not sure if that's the case or not. I haven't used Gentoo in a long time :oops:

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lcidw · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 77

I'd say no, forget the whole branding thing, unless there will be a nice range of gentoo theme's, styles, icons, etc. Ubuntu did that branding thing, but they really did gave their visual stuff a look which gives you the feeling it always belonged together.

On top of that, people identify for example Mozilla Firefox by the official logo, as with allmost every app a person uses. If we get a whole Gentoo branded system, people will think "Wait, what browser am i using.. Is that OpenOffice or what?". Confusion.

So, if we are going to do branding, go ahead, but get some designers to work on it else it's a real waste of time. And branding off by default making it clear to the public the apps can be branded Gentoo-style, however that letting-the-public-know may be done.

papal_authority · Veteran Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 1823 Location: Canada

No. Not only is it unnecessary, but with all the teenaged anime fans around here we'll probably end up with pokemon logos or half naked cat girls with big eyes.
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Deathwing00 · Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:57 am Post subject:

phajdan.jr · Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:02 pm Post subject:

lcidw · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 77

In that case (of both replies).. i'd say, why not!

@papal_authority: Well, afaik Larry is allready naked.. and, i can't see how naked anime would come close to Gentoo branding. But, if we are going to support multiple Gentoo themes/styles and someone wants to create naked anime chicks, he better create an anime Gentoo chick then

I just installed the latest OpenOffice, and that Gentoo logo on it is very ok. Just think Bon Echo (firefox not mozbranded) needs something more Gentoo for example.

Winblowz99 · Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:28 pm Post subject:

I would like the idea of branding for my own system, but I think it should be off by default (optional). Gentoo is about choice, so we shouldn't be forcing anyone to use something they don't want to.