Closed Bug 399398 Opened 17 years ago Closed 16 years ago

Icon Inventory for the Firefox 3 Visual Refresh

Categories

(Firefox :: Shell Integration, enhancement)

Product:
Firefox
Component:
Shell Integration
Type:
enhancement
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

()

Status:
RESOLVED FIXED

People

(Reporter: faaborg, Assigned: faaborg)

References

(
URL
)

Details

Attachments

(7 files)

The Report Site toolbar button icon and the icons highlighted in this screenshot should be added to the list.
29.63 KB, image/png
Details
Bookmarks menu "Get Bookmark Add-ons" icon.
8.81 KB, image/png
Details
Go To URL icon.
49.75 KB, image/png
Details
"Extensions" and "Installation" icons in Add-ons window.
17.73 KB, image/png
Details
Search 18x18
26.00 KB, image/jpeg
Details
Search Icon Example
67.87 KB, image/pjpeg
Details
Page icon for cookies in Cookies window.
38.05 KB, image/png
Details 
This is a tracking bug for the icon inventory for the Firefox 3 visual refresh.  The inventory is currently located here: http://people.mozilla.com/~faaborg/files/granParadisoUI/icons/iconInventory.html
I think it should be tried to create icons that work on Vista, XP and Linux. Focus could be on Vista -- I wouldn't expect Vista icons to look alien on XP (see Office 11, Windows Media Player, etc). In fact, it could be a welcome brush-up on XP (and Linux) as opposed to going with a six-year-old Windows Explorer style.

Apparently that's also how you want to deal with OS X 10.4 vs. 10.5.
I disagree, I think there should be three themes for Vista, OSX, and a Tango-based theme for XP and Linux (bug 381206). Vista is a radical change in style from XP and its icons would most certainly look "overdone" on an XP environment.
I don't see how Tango icons would be a win for XP, compared to the current Winstripe icon set.
Depends on: 381206, 398480
It means we'll only need to maintain 3 themes instead of 4, because Linux and XP can share the theme.
... which assumes that XP's icon set needs to be different from Vista's.
Why wouldn't it? We really shouldn't make the same mistake as IE7 and force Vista-ism down the XP users' throats, because that is precisely going against our goal to feel native.
The fact that IE7 doesn't care about nativeness doesn't mean that it's not possible to share the icon set. The Firefox 2 Winstripe icons are already Vista-esque and not really consistent with the classic Luna icons. Yet it doesn't feel alien on XP.
We will be making an announcement about the icon design work shortly (still need to finalize a few things).  The sets themselves are going to be:

-OS X
-Windows XP
-Windows Vista
-(probably) Tango for Linux distributions (bug #381206)

I don't think our XP set is going to work well on linux this time around since we are going to do a closer job of matching the xp aesthetic.
Alex, you can (and I recommend you do) use Tango for both XP and Linux, because like I've said before Tango was designed as a spec to look native on as many platforms as possible, not just Linux. Take a look at the screenshots on their website and you'll see.
Doing a lot of icon inventory house keeping, here is the list of changes:

Changed some types based on the icons we are getting:
-popups blocked now shape with glyph
-key is now an object
-Identity Unknown now shape with glyph
-Identity SSL now shape with glyph
-Identity EV now shape with glyph
-Tab arrow start now a glyph
-Tab arrow end now a glyph
-Tab drop marker now a glyph
-smart folder now system
-Unstarred now glyph
-Star is now glyph
-Print now object
-Bookmarks now object

Changed some timeline stuff:
-Wrong way moved into milestone 2
-Addon information moved out to milestone 3
-small search moved into milestone 3

several milestone 3 icons were set to Firefox 3+ based on feature changes
all Firefox 3+ icons are now set to "milestone 4" which means we would still like to get the icons for the next release, but they are not mandatory to this release.
A lot of discussion is likely to crop up over icons in Firefox 3 shortly.  In general I would like to keep this tracking bug as a change log for the inventory.

If you are eager to provide feedback, please comment on the blog posts directly, or in the thread I've set up in dev.apps.firefox:

http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.dev.apps.firefox/browse_thread/thread/0bbabfb9a23a033b#c27baadebb7df514
Alex: I noticed today that the Add Ons update icon looks kind of funky on mac (resolution is off). I did not specifically see that icon called out on the icon inventory, although there is one for software update. Wanted to make sure that the icon looks better for final.
>I did not specifically see that icon called out on the
>icon inventory

I have a few icons to add to the inventory for changes to the addons manager. I'm currently focusing on getting feedback on the milestone 2 icons to the designers before working on milestone 3, but thanks for the heads up.  If anyone else notices a missing icon, please comment here.
After reviewing a lot of internal and external feedback from the current set of milestone 2 icons, we've decided to drop the XP Luna style for the category of object icons, and ship the Vista Aero style object icons on both platforms.  The icons were produced exactly to our specifications, but we are now concerned that the style is a little too dated to use in an application being released in 2008.

This eliminates 24 icons from the inventory (32 if you count multiple sizes).  Hopefully this will allow us to focus even more on polishing the remaining icons, and really nailing all of the Aero style objects.
(In reply to comment #14)
> After reviewing a lot of internal and external feedback from the current set of
> milestone 2 icons, we've decided to drop the XP Luna style for the category of
> object icons, and ship the Vista Aero style object icons on both platforms. 

Ehhh, not a very clever plan IMNSHO. You should at least also provide a separate style for those who use classic theme, as a lot of people still do that. Luna was specific to XP as is Aero to Vista but all Windows versions ship with classic, and allows Windows 2000 users to not feel forced forward.


What about the icons in the addons dialog? Currently, it has "Plugins", "Locales", "Install", "Update", "Themes" and "Extensions".

IIRC the original plan was to change the dialog, but last thing I heard it will stay the same as it is right now. In this case, all those icons would be needed.

Can someone explain what the current plan is regarding this?
Now that we're going to have a glassy theme for Windows again, I hope we're also looking into which icons from the current Winstripe theme are good to keep, need polishing or need to be replaced in terms of visual quality and Vistaness.

For instance, attachment 283475 [details] would be the result of such an analysis that I did for the Preferences window. I'm biased on this one, but it's really just an example.

Given that the current theme was already sort of aiming for Vista style icons, we shouldn't change everything just for the sake of change.
removed "info" icon
removed "clean up" icon
Assignee: nobody → faaborg
added "retry download" icon
"pause download" now has the disabled state
removed "add addon" icon (we are just going to use the generic extension icon for situations where we need it.
This isn't strictly just a Firefox icon, but if icons need to be updated, the broken-image and loading-image icons surely need it the most:

http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/layout/generic/broken-image.gif
http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/layout/generic/loading-image.gif

Heck, Camino already overrides the current versions because they're so old and fugly:

http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/camino/resources/images/gecko/
(In reply to comment #23)
> This isn't strictly just a Firefox icon, but if icons need to be updated, the
> broken-image and loading-image icons surely need it the most:
> 
> http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/layout/generic/broken-image.gif
> http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/layout/generic/loading-image.gif
> 
> Heck, Camino already overrides the current versions because they're so old and
> fugly:
> 
> http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla/source/camino/resources/images/gecko/
> 

Well, then we would want to use images looking like GNOME's loading/missing image icons[1], wouldn't we?

[1]
http://svn.gnome.org/svn/gnome-icon-theme/trunk/16x16/status/image-loading.png
http://svn.gnome.org/svn/gnome-icon-theme/trunk/16x16/status/image-missing.png

Cheers
For missing image, there's even a gtk stock icon in 16x16. 
(In reply to comment #24)
> Well, then we would want to use images looking like GNOME's loading/missing
> image icons[1], wouldn't we?

I'd rather not debate what they should or shouldn't look like; I'll leave a design to people with artistic flair and creativity.  I think we can all agree, however, that just about anything is better than the status quo.  :-)
The Report Site toolbar button icon and the icons highlighted in this screenshot should be added to the list.
Alex, what about using GTK_STOCK_JUMP_TO (gtk-jump-to) for the "go" button on linux?
>The Report Site toolbar button icon and the icons highlighted in this
>screenshot should be added to the list.

Good catch on the report site toolbar button.  For the DOM inspector, it isn't getting updated icons since I believe we are going to switch to Firebug.
(In reply to comment #29)
> >The Report Site toolbar button icon and the icons highlighted in this
> >screenshot should be added to the list.
> 
> Good catch on the report site toolbar button.  For the DOM inspector, it isn't
> getting updated icons since I believe we are going to switch to Firebug.
> 

If Firebug actually replaces DOM Inspector, then Firebug icons should be included in this inventory; other way, DOM Inspector icons should be replaced.

Please take a look at this post to get the feeling of something beings being updates and some no: http://www.actsofvolition.com/archives/2001/december/windowsxprough
Bookmarks menu "Get Bookmark Add-ons" icon should be added to the inventory. Screenshot of it provided.
Flags: blocking-firefox3?
>If Firebug actually replaces DOM Inspector, then Firebug icons should be
>included in this inventory; other way, DOM Inspector icons should be replaced.

I checked on this and we aren't planning on shipping with Firebug, just encouraging people to download the extension.  We might do a Web developer pack that includes Firebug in the future, but since it isn't going to be part of the core product we don't need to worry about refreshing the icons. 

>Please take a look at this post to get the feeling of something beings being
>updates and some no:
>http://www.actsofvolition.com/archives/2001/december/windowsxprough

Great article, I really hope everyone gives Firefox 3 the same level of scrutiny (ideally before we release as opposed to after).

>Bookmarks menu "Get Bookmark Add-ons" icon should be added to the inventory.
>Screenshot of it provided.

We are planning to use the add-ons icon (a puzzle piece) for that bookmark.  The bug tracking these changes is bug 416515
(this is a tracking bug for the purposes of keeping people up to date, it shouldn't be nominated for blocking)
Flags: blocking-firefox3?
Attached image Go To URL icon. — 
Add Go To URL to the inventory.
(In reply to comment #34)
> Created an attachment (id=303789) [details]
> Go To URL icon.
> 
> Add Go To URL to the inventory.
> 

Wouldn't it make more sense to just use the go icon for this (it does the same thing) or even better, get rid of the icon (no such icons on normal web links)?
(In reply to comment #35)
> (In reply to comment #34)
> > Created an attachment (id=303789) [details] [details]
> > Go To URL icon.
> > 
> > Add Go To URL to the inventory.
> > 
> 
> Wouldn't it make more sense to just use the go icon for this (it does the same
> thing) or even better, get rid of the icon (no such icons on normal web links)?
> 

I think having a new rendition of the current icon is better. The Go button says nothing. The icon shown in the screen shot, somehow, suggest the link is located in the Internet. I don't think having no icon is good, since there wouldn't be an indication that the link is not inside the Help, and may annoy off-line users.
(In reply to comment #36)
> I think having a new rendition of the current icon is better. The Go button
> says nothing. The icon shown in the screen shot, somehow, suggest the link is
> located in the Internet. I don't think having no icon is good, since there
> wouldn't be an indication that the link is not inside the Help, and may annoy
> off-line users.

There was this discussion of not shipping Fx3.0 with built-in help, and use SUMO instead.  I don't know what the final plan in that regard is, but if we're not going to have built-in help in Fx3.0, having this icon is of little value, since it's specific to help content IINM.
Depends on: 417844
(In reply to comment #37)
> (In reply to comment #36)
> > I think having a new rendition of the current icon is better. The Go button
> > says nothing. The icon shown in the screen shot, somehow, suggest the link is
> > located in the Internet. I don't think having no icon is good, since there
> > wouldn't be an indication that the link is not inside the Help, and may annoy
> > off-line users.
> 
> There was this discussion of not shipping Fx3.0 with built-in help, and use
> SUMO instead.  I don't know what the final plan in that regard is, but if we're
> not going to have built-in help in Fx3.0, having this icon is of little value,
> since it's specific to help content IINM.
> 

If no decision/action is taken, like in the case of DOM Inspector, the icons should be designed. Other way, we might end up having icons with different styles. And, in the case, of the DOM Inspector, WAY different style.
"Extensions" and "Installation" icons should be included.
Could you add a generic search engine icon?
(In reply to comment #40)
> Could you add a generic search engine icon?
> 

What would that be good for?
(In reply to comment #41)
> (In reply to comment #40)
> > Could you add a generic search engine icon?
> > 
> 
> What would that be good for?
> 

1. Bug 335781 is marked as wanted-firefox3+, so we could need a generic search engine to show up in Add-ons window. A magnifying glass, as shown in attachment 220129 [details], is not the correct abstraction, IMHO; since it is used as an action everywhere in the UI, and not as an object.

2. It could be shown as the selected search engine when customizing, or as the icon of the search engine, if it doesn't have one, in the Add-ons window.

3. It could be used by extensions dealing with search engines.
(In reply to comment #42)
> 1. Bug 335781 is marked as wanted-firefox3+
I would be surprised if this would make it into firefox 3, as there has not been any work on this in month. Anway, what else would you use (apart from the magnifying glass, which would be the obvious choice)

> 2. It could be shown as the selected search engine when customizing
Customizing does not change the engine, so why should another icon be displayed?

> 3. It could be used by extensions dealing with search engines.
Which would need to provide it themselves.

(In reply to comment #43)
> > 1. Bug 335781 is marked as wanted-firefox3+
> I would be surprised if this would make it into firefox 3, as there has not
> been any work on this in month. Anway, what else would you use (apart from the
> magnifying glass, which would be the obvious choice)

Don't know, I'm not an artist. My usability skills reaches the level of: an icon representing an action must no be used as an object too.

> > 2. It could be shown as the selected search engine when customizing
> Customizing does not change the engine, so why should another icon be
> displayed?

Because the icon does change if you customize the navigation bar. Remove the search bar from the navigation bar, then add it again; it will show a generic Web page icon. While customizing no "real" icon should be shown, just the generic one.

> > 3. It could be used by extensions dealing with search engines.
> Which would need to provide it themselves.
> 

That would result in different themes for a fairly common object.
I'd like to help here if I can. I'm pretty good at creating icons and can do them with consistency and fit any theme we decide on. I can also do them in multiple sizes (without just rescaling - as this often looks bad)...

But my participation has been limited so far (I'm currently working as dev manager so it's taken a lot of my attention lately)...

But I've got some time free again and I'd like to help out where I can on this. I just don't know where to begin from here.

I see there is an icon inventory and it shows the status of icons ... but do I need to be assigned to anything first or I can I just pick up one that isn't done yet and begin working on it then submit it here?

Sorry - I'm new to this... but I'll catch on quickly if someone can tell me what I can / should do if I want to participate on creating the icon inventory.
Attached image Search 18x18 — 
Here is what I propose for the search. The icon is similar to the old one but with a more iconic appearance / fatter rim and cast shadow. I think it would fit well with both the Vista and XP themes.
Jordan: thanks for the offer to help out, unfortunately we are at this point pretty much finished, with only a few icons missing on each platform, and design teams for each platform already working on them to have them ready for beta 5. 
No problem. I wish I volunteered a little sooner. I only just got some free time again though.

Thanks Alex.
(In reply to comment #46)
> Here is what I propose for the search.

If this was related to my suggestion of a search engine generic icon, I'd to make clear that I meant an icon which could be used in the place where search engine icons appear (the drop down button).
>suggestion of a search engine generic icon

Are you finding that sites that provide OpenSearch descriptions aren't including an image, or we aren't falling back to the site's favicon?  In terms of other search fields in our interface, like the addons manager or the applications prefpane, I think we should just use a standard platform search field, without an icon on the left (puzzle piece needs to be removed), and a magnifying glass on the right to indicate that it is a search field.
(In reply to comment #50)
> >suggestion of a search engine generic icon
> 
> Are you finding that sites that provide OpenSearch descriptions aren't
> including an image, or we aren't falling back to the site's favicon?  In terms
> of other search fields in our interface, like the addons manager or the
> applications prefpane, I think we should just use a standard platform search
> field, without an icon on the left (puzzle piece needs to be removed), and a
> magnifying glass on the right to indicate that it is a search field.
> 

No, I'm not finding any problems with actual search engine icons. I just think that having a generic search engine icon is a good idea (since we have generic icons for every add-on type).

Regarding your idea of changing the add-ons extension search, please take a look at bug 416028. That bug, and your way to go have consistency as a goal, which is great. I'd consider either one fine. The /advantage/ of the style proposed in bug 416028 is that users could easily see what they are searching for, with an icon; but if you also use some descriptive text ("Search for bookmarks...") in _every search field_, then it has not much sense. Anyway, take a look :P
Attached image Search Icon Example — 
(In reply to comment #49)
> (In reply to comment #46)
> > Here is what I propose for the search.
> If this was related to my suggestion of a search engine generic icon, I'd to
> make clear that I meant an icon which could be used in the place where search
> engine icons appear (the drop down button).

I'm not sure we mean the same thing in regards to the icon I submitted. This may be my mistake originally... I was trying to fill a need for a new search icon as I found it was marked "Need" on the Icon Inventory (http://people.mozilla.com/~faaborg/files/granParadisoUI/icons/iconInventoryWindows.html)

The description said this was 18x18 (which matches the original I designed it to replace) and since it had no description field I assumed it was generic and that it referred to the search icon pictured in my sample (see attachment).

However my submission may be moot anyway. Since submitting this I've found from Alex that all of the icons have already been created or already has design teams already committed to them.

Hope I can help out in the next release.

Cheers.
>if you also use some descriptive text ("Search for
>bookmarks...") in _every search field_, then it has not much sense. Anyway,
>take a look :P

Descriptive text is more native with the presentation of search fields in Vista and OS X.  Also I think the text does a better job of communicating to the user what it is they are searching, for instance literally saying "Search Bookmarks and History" as opposed to an image of a star and a clock or something.
(In reply to comment #53)
> >if you also use some descriptive text ("Search for
> >bookmarks...") in _every search field_, then it has not much sense. Anyway,
> >take a look :P
> 
> Descriptive text is more native with the presentation of search fields in Vista
> and OS X.  Also I think the text does a better job of communicating to the user
> what it is they are searching, for instance literally saying "Search Bookmarks
> and History" as opposed to an image of a star and a clock or something.
> 

Seems OK to me!
I think we should add a cookie icon; cookies in Cookies window appear as normal pages, see screen shot.

Also note that Web sites are shown as folders, "Site" icon appears as Not Needed for all platforms; but haven't seen an icon for that. Has it been discarded? IMHO, it is a very important icon.
>I think we should add a cookie icon; cookies in Cookies window appear as normal
>pages, see screen shot.

Good idea, but also a really low visibility icon, we'll try to get it for the next release.

>Also note that Web sites are shown as folders, "Site" icon appears as Not
>Needed for all platforms

Yeah, we cut this icon since we didn't have time to update all of the places where we wanted to use it.

Overall since we are getting so close to release the list of icons we will be including will probably start to shrink slightly instead of grow, but please post ideas for icons we should have so we can get them listed for the next refresh.
I think a cookie icon is completely useless. Attachment 307489 [details] shows the Cookies dialog; it's obvious what the list shows. The icons are under the Site column, so they are actually quite right as they are.
(In reply to comment #57)
> I think a cookie icon is completely useless. Attachment 307489 [details] shows the
> Cookies dialog; it's obvious what the list shows. The icons are under the Site
> column, so they are actually quite right as they are.
> 

IMHO, elements across Fx should have a proper abstraction; and not a generic one.
If any one has some extra time, I could use some help tracking all of the icons in Firefox that actually use a disabled state over in bug 421437.
Depends on: 421437
Per comment 7 of bug 418003, we might need more icons to be designed.
We should have icons for live/smart bookmarks folder when they show their items; as we have an opened folder icon when a normal folder shows its items.
>we have an opened folder icon when a normal folder shows its items.

We will be getting rid of this with the new folder icons since it isn't native to any platform.
(In reply to comment #62)
> >we have an opened folder icon when a normal folder shows its items.
> 
> We will be getting rid of this with the new folder icons since it isn't native
> to any platform.
> 

Great!
Sorry, but why is Report Site markes as Complete for all four themes when its the same as in Firefox 2?

No change is planned for it?
Actually the icon has changed for at least Windows and Linux, it looks like those changes are getting landed today
Add close, restore and minimize icons for fullscreen toolbar, per bug 429571 comment 3.
We should add an icon for "Live Bookmark feed failed to load." live bookmark items. It's quite confusing to see the same icon for both OK and failed items.

I guess the current icon plus an error indicator could do.
Hope this is the right bug.
On Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.0; en-US; rv:1.9pre) Gecko/2008043007 Minefield/3.0pre ID:2008043007

When I browse to a ftp:// URL the icon that shows (a tiny computer monitor) looks "Vista-ish" and not "2000-ish" even if I am on Win2K.

I'm not sure if this is possible, but I think the right icon to use should be the first one inside %systemroot%\explorer.exe

Hope I've made sense and this is not considered nitpicking, my understand is that one of FF3 goals is to look as "native" as possible.
>When I browse to a ftp:// URL the icon that shows (a tiny computer monitor)
>looks "Vista-ish" and not "2000-ish" even if I am on Win2K.

We have different computer images for XP, Vista, OS X and (i think) Linux, however, due to a security bug (bug 388553), we had to pick one image to use on all platforms.  We picked Vista since it seemed the most generic, our XP icon had a teal screen, and the OS X image was of a new iMac.

This was a tracking bug for Firefox 3 development, resolving.  Windows XP and Vista alone accounted for 660 new image files, I'll be filing follow up bugs for additional icon polish fixes in 3.1.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 16 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
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