[olug] The microcosm that says so much

[T. J. Brumfield]

Ubuntu announced their next LTS release will feature a new theme.

http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2010/03/ubuntu-dumps-the-brown-introduces-new-theme.ars

Personally, I still can't stand the stock icons most Gnome desktops
use. Ick. Look at the Windows 7, Mac OS X, or KDE Oxygen icons for
comparison.

But what has most people up in arms is the order of buttons on the
window decoration. People are screaming this is just copying OS X.
(For the record, I have no qualms copying good design, which is why I
urged Kwin to adopt the Aero Snap feature, which they eventually did).

However, all the hate and vitrol isn't necessary. As someone who very
rarely uses Gnome, it never occured to me that you can't simply
configure the window decoration buttons how you want.

http://blog.nixternal.com/2010.03.05/let-me-tell-you-where-to-put-the-buttons/

In KDE, you can configure the window decorations to behave exactly how you want.

Then again, Gnome doesn't even ship with a Font Installer. I know the
goal is to have sane defaults, but at some point, shouldn't a user be
empowered to customize their desktop how they want? Reading the Gnome
HIG, I see that the Gnome developers feel users are stupid and should
not be afforded choice. Am I crazy to think I shouldn't be patronized
by my desktop?

If you want to see the difference between Gnome and KDE, I can think
of no better example than this. With Gnome, you get what you get, and
you better like it. If you don't, too bad. In KDE, you can have it
anyway you want.

I'm sincerely shocked that the Linux community (who seems to value
choice) would prefer a desktop environment determined to limit choice.

-- T. J. Brumfield
"I'm questioning my education
Rewind and what does it show?
Could be, the truth it becomes you
I'm a seed, wondering why it grows"
-- Pearl Jam, Education