Re: [Gaim-cabal] Status icons again

[Megan S. <ca...@gm...>]

On 9/26/06, Megan Schneider <ca...@gm...> wrote:
> On 9/26/06, Etan Reisner <de...@ed...> wrote:
> > On Tue, 26 Sep 2006, Sean Egan wrote:
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > > More updates:
> > > Hylke made an MSN butterfly, and I updated
> > > http://gaim.sf.net/sean/some-more-protocols.png
> > > He also made some emblems: http://gaim.sf.net/sean/emblems.tar.gz .
> > > The bot is awesome. The die is pretty cool, and some of the others are
> > > still being worked out.
> > > I'm adjusting well to the Purple Orb. Other variations of circles:
> > > http://gaim.sf.net/sean/person2.png
> > > http://gaim.sf.net/sean/person32.png
> >
> > I don't think we want a smiley for our icon, to start with I just don't
> > like it, but also it's a bit too close to our current Yahoo icon for my
> > liking.
> >
> > I really like the idea of putting something in the purple circle, but I
> > don't like the + I think it's going to be too easily confused with an
> > expander (that is you might think the + was an emblem of sorts). I was
> > thinking maybe a 'P' for an M&Ms like feel.
>
> I agree here...too close to the Yahoo icon. I don't mind the "+", but
> yeah...it seems like an expander. (side topic) Would we want
> differentiation between normal buddies and buddies you can expand?
>
> >
> > > Re: clock vs notepad. What do you think of making a notepad the icon
> > > for EXTENDED_AWAY and making AIM's "away" an EXTENDED_AWAY state? This
> > > way the metaphor makes a bit more sense. I'm thinking of a little shop
> > > with one of those "We'll be back in 15 minutes clock signs" versus a
> > > shop with a "Gone Fishing" sign, or something. I don't know. In either
> > > case, AIM users will be happy with a notepad and MSN users will be
> > > happy with a clock.
> > >
> > > In either case, I'm getting used to the clock. It doesn't take long.
> >
> > I think I like that idea.
>
> Ditto..
>
> >
> > > Question: iChat and the clients it inspired use a 16x16ish icon in
> > > what we consider Big List. What do you guys think of:
> > > http://actsofvolition.com/images/screenshots/gaim/gaim-mock-16px.png
> > > as opposed to
> > > http://gaim.sf.net/sean/gaim4.png ?
> > >
> > > It seems like iChat and its inspired clients all use variations of the
> > > randomly colored orbs, and so it makes more sense for them to be
> > > small, since 22x22 icons of green circle doesn't gain much over 16x16
> > > pixels of green circle. Our icons tend to be more detailed so we can
> > > benefit more from the additional 8. Still, my girlfriend is convinced
> > > Gaim will be ugly as long as those additional 8 pixels are there.
> > >
> > > Thoughts?
> > >
> > > -s.
> >
> > I think if we were going to go with some sort of small icon in the big
> > list we would need the icon to take up exactly the size of the top row
> > of text, this may or may not be the case I can't tell from the shot.
> > Other than that I think I like the extra color/stuff with the large
> > icons, though perhaps a middle size might be something to consider.
> >
> >         -Etan
>
> What about vertically centering the 16x16 icon with the buddy? So that
> it is linked to the two lines, between them visually. Right now it
> feels off, but I think that's because it's off from what I'd consider
> "center" for icons in the big list.
>
> -Megan
>

Or a slight alternate - make it so the top of the icon is even with
the top of the text. Not necessarily centered between the lines, but
dropped down a little from its current position.

-M