Description: A collection of 50x50 PNG background images to be used for the kicker background. The screenshots show the silver, gold, and bronze metallic color schemes. Dark and light variations of the backgrounds seen in the screenshots are included in the package. Please read the included README for instructions on using the backgrounds and on manually setting up the background for child panels (there is currently no kde gui interface for doing that).Last changelog:
1.1 - removed the non-metallic backgrounds as they looked too dull. added gold and bronze color schemes in light, medium, and dark variations. added README for instructions on using the backgrounds.
I just wanted to point out that there were a few things I noticed when I was doing these gradients.
First of all, the kicker does not support alpha-blended PNG transparency. What I WAS hoping to do was to just make a single gradient that would then add the metallic effect to any kicker background color. This is currently not possible.
The second problem is that the background image chosen for the kicker does not get applied to the child panels like the one on the top of the screen in the screenshots.
Hopefully these two issues will be addressed soon ...
I personally think this is headed in the right direction. Kde needs to find it's own feel. Let's face it... OSX has the dock. It did not invent the damn thing though, so people need to get over the "imulation" thing and press on with the look and feel of OSX. I feel like it's got the right combinations of a logically laid out UI and SHOULD be a model for KDE. However, back to the metallic thing. KDE still needs it's own "vibe". I think that a metallic gradient that has a "morphed" look to it will do. Plus it would be incredible to see icons that were "embedded" in the kicker. Much more like the Pinball theme for Mozilla and the UI for Avid's DS-HD. If you had a more "fluid" look around the icons with a metal/glazed chrome feel like maybe liquid mercury the kicker would ..... KICK ;)
My two cents
I too think a metallic look would suit KDE very well. I don't think the entire default look should be metallic, but the kicker and child panels do look quite good in a metallic form.
The problem is that metallic and transparency don't go together at all when it comes to the kicker. Since this feature was added to KDE3 (kicker transparency), it's been the craze :) I personally prefer a more solid look to some things. The menus should be transparent, but the kicker itself needs to feel more solid. Just my personal perference, which is what linux is all about.
Kicker is the main panel used in K Desktop Environment 3 and earlier. Together with KDesktop, it forms the graphical shell. It can be customized by the user. By default, it has the K Menu, a Desktop Access button, a Home button, a Konqueror button, a Kontact button, and a Help button. Wikipedia
Ratings & Comments
3 Comments
I just wanted to point out that there were a few things I noticed when I was doing these gradients. First of all, the kicker does not support alpha-blended PNG transparency. What I WAS hoping to do was to just make a single gradient that would then add the metallic effect to any kicker background color. This is currently not possible. The second problem is that the background image chosen for the kicker does not get applied to the child panels like the one on the top of the screen in the screenshots. Hopefully these two issues will be addressed soon ...
I personally think this is headed in the right direction. Kde needs to find it's own feel. Let's face it... OSX has the dock. It did not invent the damn thing though, so people need to get over the "imulation" thing and press on with the look and feel of OSX. I feel like it's got the right combinations of a logically laid out UI and SHOULD be a model for KDE. However, back to the metallic thing. KDE still needs it's own "vibe". I think that a metallic gradient that has a "morphed" look to it will do. Plus it would be incredible to see icons that were "embedded" in the kicker. Much more like the Pinball theme for Mozilla and the UI for Avid's DS-HD. If you had a more "fluid" look around the icons with a metal/glazed chrome feel like maybe liquid mercury the kicker would ..... KICK ;) My two cents
I too think a metallic look would suit KDE very well. I don't think the entire default look should be metallic, but the kicker and child panels do look quite good in a metallic form. The problem is that metallic and transparency don't go together at all when it comes to the kicker. Since this feature was added to KDE3 (kicker transparency), it's been the craze :) I personally prefer a more solid look to some things. The menus should be transparent, but the kicker itself needs to feel more solid. Just my personal perference, which is what linux is all about.