Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!iuvax!purdue!haven!uflorida!novavax!suther From: suther@novavax.UUCP (Scot M. Sutherland) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Icon sizes, Workbench hand (was Re: My AmigaDOS 1.4 wishlist) Keywords: icons Message-ID: <1432@novavax.UUCP> Date: 12 Aug 89 23:27:25 GMT References: <12878@well.UUCP><16025@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <1989Aug8.220028.13827@nc386.uucp> <16163@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <2584@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> <10706@boulder.Colorado.EDU> Reply-To: suther@novavax.UUCP (Scot M. Sutherland) Followup-To: Icons too large Distribution: all Organization: Nova University, Fort Lauderdale, FL Lines: 55 In article <10706@boulder.Colorado.EDU> rademach@tramp.Colorado.EDU (Simon Rademacher) writes: >A few of ugly solutions: > >1) Include program to shrink all icons to standard size. The problem is >that detail is lost and the result could be horrendous to look at. > >2) Write a program that displays a bunch of icons for the user to choose as >a replacement for the included icon. Icons can be found on some of the Fish >disks. Problem: requires user input and would require lots of tedious work >to replace many disk's program's icons. But after this initial replacement, >each furthur one would just be part of the installation of new software. > >3) Include two icons for each program. (Oops, forgot interlace. 4 icons? >this is getting out of hand.) > a) put two icons in each .info file, one of standard size. Include a >preferences option to choose plain or fancy icons. Problems: increases size >of .info files and would have to be backwards compatiable. Neither of these >are real biggies. Of couse, programmers wouldn't have to give two icons, so >this may be wasted. > b) include two .info files. Then, either have the user choose one to use >as the .info, or have a preferences option that picks which one to display. >Problem: adds lots of files to already cluttered directories. > >4) Change workbench to display standard, built-in icons for every .info file >found. Ie, check the .info for file type and then display the appropriate >icon. Problems: Dull, repetetive, have to resort to reading file name to >see what program is rather than look at icon. One of the things about the Amiga mystique, if you will, is the unique icons. I agree that the large gawdy icons so often used detract from this basically clever feature. I always tend to resist uniformity and constricting order. Even as a technical writer I try to inject clever turns of thought or induendo, whenever I can. I believe the creative animated icons fit nicely with chip names like Agnus, Paula, Denise. I find that the most clever and brilliant creations have their own special look and feel. Having said all of that, I have spent some valuable work time reorganizing or changing Icons, so I can sympathize with you complaint. When I'm really in a hurry to check out a new disk or get copying and housekeeping tasks done I use DiskMan or another pointer-based utility than bypasses the icons. Having used Macs a fair bit, I find that the color full featured icons are easier to recognize for me. I have to look more carefully at Mac icons, especially disk icons. I don't have to read the label on the icon as much on the Amiga. I thought that was the idea behind icons...a picture worth a thousand... I would like to see a program that simply doubles the vertical size of the icons when in interlace. That's what I do when I really need an icon in interlace. They don't have the exact proportion as non-interlace but they are very close.