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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Discussions about amaroK not using default icons
From:       Thomas Zander <zander32 () gmail ! com>
Date:       2006-04-24 8:43:47
Message-ID: 200604241043.47212.zander32 () gmail ! com
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On Sunday 23 April 2006 20:54, Chi Shang Cheng wrote:
> Second, the default icons in KDE (Crystal icons by Everaldo) are known
> to be oversaturated and not very pleasing for the eye. If a KDE app
> chooses to use custom icons that are better designed, and improves the
> usability of that specific app, would that be wrong. Let's take this to
> the next level: what if Amarok was an audio player that looked totally
> inconsistent with the rest of the KDE desktop, but usability-wise was
> super? What is more important? Interface consistency for the sake of
> interface consistency, or true usability?

Having over saturated icons verses icons that blend in better does not 
constitute a usability problem. It just looks sub-optimal. Even more 
important, the icons in question are used extensively over all of KDE and 
amarok just lost consistency with the rest of kde.
In case the user uses a different icon theme than the default one, the 
problem gets even worse; then the icons don't just look a little 
different, they look really different making this one application really 
stand out.

Not everyone here has deep roots in usability, but one rule just about 
everyone here knows about; consistency is the most fundametal point and 
anyone straying from that goal ends up being dissapointed.  I have seen 
that time and time again, perhaps you have as well :)

-- 
Thomas Zander
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