calibre's new icons

[chaley]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@Chaley: Did you update to 0.7.9. Upgrading only the source is not sufficient.

Yes, did a binary upgrade after noticing that the save-to-disk icon changed on my wife's installation.

[Edit: Of course, I didn't pay enough attention after the upgrade. I looked at the save to disk icon, but only this morning noticed that the preferences icon renders differently. My headphone comment has been rendered bogus.]

[robkat]

Here we have a wonderful program that works and is free, why then are people bitching about icons etc. Just enjoy it while you can, it does the job of transferring, converting and adding books to devices in a way that is easy for non-programmers to understand.
Massive praise should go to Kovid and complaints should be changed to suggestions.
cheers

[Schaapje82]

Apparently kovid cares about the icons, because he himself started this topic.

I like the style of the new icons, but some icons do not make sense. And I miss the text below the icons. I do not know what's what anymore you. Please let me have back the textlabels! Or is there a way to download a version of before the new logo's? I would like that.
Just one other thing, I think the older icons were more in the line with the logo of the program. The book-logo looks very realistic while the icons in de program look very styled and clean.

Edit: I was just reading somewhere else that the textlabels will be there again in a next version. I'm happy again! Thanks!

[rtype]

In general I don't care about the icons, once I've used them once or twice I remember what they mean.

However I was confused by the delete icon, the recycle arrows just didn't represent delete to me, a trash can for example would. I would say the same (but to a lesser extent, as I have no idea of a better icon) about the convert icon.

[itimpi]

While we are talking abut icons and the new integrated toolbar, how about removing the few items left at the bottom of the Screen? That would maximise even further the space available for displaying book details.

My Suggestions would be:
- Move the Calibre version information (and the asterisk indicating running from source) to the title bar. Alternatively this information could be added to the Help menu as a sub-item.
- Move the other icons to the main toolbar - perhaps as options to show under the View menu which seems to be the traditional UI location for windows/tabs that can be enabled or disabled. The current icons could be used against the menu items to help with continuity for those used to the existing icons. If that is done, then the current option simply called "View" should probably be renamed "View eBook".
- I would suggest adding a Donate option to the Help button as a sub-item even if the heart on the main toolbar is disabled. I am sure that if the heart is disabled users will struggle to refind enabling it under preferences. It could even be enabled/disabled via this option which would be slightly slicker than doing it under Preferences.

[banjomike]

I've gone with dislike.

The magnifying glass should not used for View.
I want the delete button to be a big red X that radiates a warning. Not the recycle symbol.
The Information symbol should not be used for "Edit Metadata". The symbol was used correctly in the Calibre ebook viewer.
I actually like the symbol for save to disk but it is still confusing.

Go to google and try 'delete symbol', 'search symbol', 'recycle symbol' or 'information symbol'. Three of these Calibre icons are retasking existing international standards.

Well, it confuses me. Still love Calibre.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Schaapje82

I like the style of the new icons, but some icons do not make sense. And I miss the text below the icons. I do not know what's what anymore you. Please let me have back the textlabels!

Edit: I was just reading somewhere else that the textlabels will be there again in a next version. I'm happy again! Thanks!

Interesting, I have text labels below my icons. My guess is that you had the choice to have or not have text previously and that choice temporarily has been lost. If you had text below the labels then it is still there, if you did not have text below your icons there is currently not a way to revert back to text and icons.

But as Kovid said that will be corrected in the next release.

Personally I think it would be great to have all of the icons called from the same directory that is easily changed by the end user. This would facilitate users creating their own theme set of icons and allow users to exchange various icon sets. Before you know it the icon options would be endless.

Of course with this ability should be a check or button to return to the default icon set.

[chaley]

OK, having been challenged to provide suggestions instead of flaws, here goes:

First, I agree with banjomike's list.

Now my own:

I suggest that calibre be completely consistent with arrows and plus marks. It appears that an arrow pointing down means put something into the library (see the news icon). An arrow pointing up seems to mean put something somewhere else (see send-to-device). Use something similar for books; an arrow pointing down would be consistent with news. Same thing with save-to-disk, use an arrow pointing up. For the same reason, get rid of the arrows on convert. They confuse the meaning, because the function does not move things around. This might be a good place to use a plus, meaning I am adding another something.

For save-to-disk, I would also not use such a stylized icon, but instead would use something like http://www.openclipart.org/people/Ma...a_harddisk.svg.

For the 'circle I', I suggest something like http://www.openclipart.org/image/250...properties.png, which gives (to me at least) the idea that I am applying a tool to something.

For the trash, I would use something like http://www.openclipart.org/people/li...dyman_logo.svg, although it is probably too stark for most people.

Instead of the magnifying glass, I suggest an open book, something like http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...literature.svg.

Yes, I know that the color schemes of the various suggestions don't work together. I don't touch color schemes because I am partially color blind. I do suggest that meaning of icons not depend on subtle color variations.

Finally, I would gently ask people to dispense with telling us what we should and should not like, or should and should not care about. Reading something like that doesn't change what we think, but instead tells us to take our marbles to some other playground.

[FizzyWater]

I would go with a minor dislike. I love calibre and wouldn't stop using it because I don't like the icons!

It does look like we've lost the ability to resize them - and I don't like how much screen real estate they take up (just like Microsoft Office's d@mned ribbon interface).

Otherwise, I thought the other ones were "prettier". These look - I don't know - like they're trying to look like they're "stamped" or something?

If I had the option to go back to the old ones, I'd switch. If I didn't have the option to go back, oh well. If I was going to push for a "wish list", the ability to convert to IMP format would go to the top of my list, not what kind of icons we have!

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by chaley

Reading something like that doesn't change what we think, but instead tells us to take our marbles to some other playground.

Marbles? Speak for those who still have them! *cackles maniacally*

I've always wondered why calibre doesn't have a conventional menu. I've always assumed personal taste (Kovid's) but if the population of icons is likely to grow, one might eventually be needed.

I really appreciate the effort that is going into freeing up more screen real estate for the book list. I'm trying to remember what it was that I uninstalled so fast it almost left a hole in my HD -- Windows Media Player 11? -- because it stole screen space from function and gave it to form. Wide-screen mode, for instance, is great.

Back on topic, I suppose if calibre used the standard icons for features, like a little floppy for save, it would lose some of its charm. But really, I'd rather have function than charm, and I'm still trying to figure out what the save icon is supposed to represent. A naked HD? How many non-geeks have ever seen one outside its lair?

In any event, the ideal solution would be the option to choose our own icons (think of the fun we could have ... have you seen how many skins people make for, well, anything skinnable?). My second preference would be a 4th option for the large/medium/small setting: "none", which would have text only.

Something to think about: We're talking about icons and whether they need changes. If this was most software support forums, we'd be screaming that the lead developer should be burned at the stake over a pile of gasoline-soaked QA testers. Here, it's icons, not begging the devs to make the program actually run. Kovid and his posse are doing things right, and even if we don't say it as often as we should (or throw enough in the tip jar) ... Calibre, Kovid, and all the devs are the best.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chaley

For the same reason, get rid of the arrows on convert. They confuse the meaning, because the function does not move things around.

I understand your idea of being consistent, but, to me, the arrows on the convert seem to be the clearest of the entire bunch. Two arrows because you have something going in and something coming out.

Originally Posted by chaley

This might be a good place to use a plus, meaning I am adding another something.

I would only point out that converting something doesn't mean adding something. I frequently do epub to epub conversions

[JayLaFunk]

I like the new icons but would like them smaller, used to like the view which gave you how many books you had in your library, will that be coming back in future ?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by JayLaFunk

I like the new icons but would like them smaller, used to like the view which gave you how many books you had in your library, will that be coming back in future ?

It does show you the number of books in your library in 0.7.9, but it seems that you may have had to have text + icons both turned on to see it (see attached).

I believe Kovid may have stated that icon size option and turning on text below icons will be back in the next release.

Update: Once you connect your device the view with the number of books goes away. I'm content to let Kovid sort out the fine points of this new single bar and see how it ends up after the next few updates.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I understand your idea of being consistent, but, to me, the arrows on the convert seem to be the clearest of the entire bunch. Two arrows because you have something going in and something coming out.

Indeed something goes in and out of the process, but nothing goes in and out of the library. Perhaps the arrows going left/right would do? That is sufficiently different from the others that I wouldn't be confused in the same way I am today, and sufficiently unique that I could remember what it does.

That said, I would be very happy with worldwalker's suggestion: text only. To go one step further, I would prefer that text-only be menus. I never have been much of a fan of tool bars.

(Daddy, Daddy, look over there - a real live dinosaur!)

[chaley]

Originally Posted by JayLaFunk

I like the new icons but would like them smaller, used to like the view which gave you how many books you had in your library, will that be coming back in future ?

Another way to fix this is a change that I have considered for some time: instead of (n of all), make it be (n of m) even when search restrictions are not in force. The background color tells you whether the 'm' is the total or the count after restriction.