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Please don’t theme our apps

stopthemingmy.app

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Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#21

Post by anoncake »

EdwardDiego wrote: post #13
anoncake wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article has one valid example of a bug. If it's a bug in the application, writing an open letter about it is not helpful. If it's a bug in the theme, the application developer is just not responsible for it.

If you clicked through to the blog post linked in the article, you'd see more examples. https://blogs.gnome.org/tbernard/2018/10/15/restyling-apps-a... >If it's a bug in the theme, the application developer is just not responsible for it. And how many times would they have to tell the end user who opened an issue on their app's tracker that?

> And how many times would they have to tell the end user who opened an issue on their app's tracker that?

I'm afraid there is no way around that issue with free software.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#22

Post by TeMPOraL »

EdwardDiego wrote: post #13
anoncake wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article has one valid example of a bug. If it's a bug in the application, writing an open letter about it is not helpful. If it's a bug in the theme, the application developer is just not responsible for it.

If you clicked through to the blog post linked in the article, you'd see more examples. https://blogs.gnome.org/tbernard/2018/10/15/restyling-apps-a... >If it's a bug in the theme, the application developer is just not responsible for it. And how many times would they have to tell the end user who opened an issue on their app's tracker that?

> And how many times would they have to tell the end user who opened an issue on their app's tracker that?

There's a super clever life hack my wife used when working in e-commerce. She kept a text file with prepared replies to most common issues and questions, and used the OS's built-in copy-paste functionality to quickly responding to messages asking about the same thing. I hear this kind of functionality is even supported directly in desktop e-mail clients these days.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#23

Post by threeseed »

anoncake wrote: post #10
threeseed wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article had pretty clear examples of where theming went wrong. Themes are imposing a real cost on developers who let's be honest are doing the Linux platform a massive favour by even bothering to write apps for it. I hope the audience of that article are a little more sympathetic than yourself.

The article has one valid example of a bug. If it's a bug in the application, writing an open letter about it is not helpful. If it's a bug in the theme, the application developer is just not responsible for it.

Have you actually written and supported an app before because that's not how it works.

The users always blame the app. And then when they can't get the app to work they stop using it.

Which means the developer just lost a potential customer.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#24

Post by avianlyric »

brokenkebab wrote: post #14
avianlyric wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did we read the same letter? This letter was aimed at distributions and theme developers not end users. Hell there’s even a paragraph aim directly at end users. > If you like to tinker with your own system, that’s fine with us. You’ve completely dismissed all of their concerns out of hand, in an entirely unhelpful and hostile manner. Why did you even bother writing a comment?

The parent correctly notes that theming is a valid feature of the platform, and asking essentially for ignoring the feature because of brand issues sounds ridiculous. It maybe 'unhelpful', but sometimes we just express our opinions here, not running consultancy services. It's called commentary section for a reason.

I don’t take issue with people expressing opinions, or even pointing out that theming is a platform feature.

But I do take issue with attacking developers who write applications for free, and contribute to the Linux ecosystem, for making a reasonable request to platform developers.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#25

Post by TeMPOraL »

Arctaire wrote: post #3

I feel like an "open letter" is a pretty odd way to ask something of the maintainers of distributions that do not install GNOME with its stock Adwaita theme. Indeed, despite being created some two weeks ago, the (small) notice at the top that this particular open letter is aimed only at distribution maintainers was only added yesterday[1]. How many do so, anyway? I know Ubuntu has the Yaru[2] theme by default. I'll a…

You don't write an open letter when you want to ask someone something; you write one when you want to force them to do things your way by creating a public shitstorm.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#27

Post by loudtieblahblah »

cuddlecake wrote: post #17
anoncake wrote: post #2

> GTK Stylesheets can make applications look broken, and even unusable. Bugs are bad, yes. > Icon Themes can change icon metaphors, leading to interfaces with icons that don’t express what the developer intended. That is not a problem if you use icons for the purpose they are intended for. > Changing an app’s icon denies the developer the possibility to control their brand. Good. My computer is not your billboard. Co…

Your entire comment feels awfully dismissive and egocentric. The author presents valid and sensible issues with the state of theming on the GNOME platform. And the overarching topic is essentially User Experience. Even the slightest change in color can introduce friction between UI elements. Or to be more extreme, if a theme turns your entire app into a white blurry mess, you would get mad at the application, and not…

The fact gnome people are so draconian in controlling my user experience is why I stopped using that ghetto desktop environment and any environment dependent on it.

It's bad enough gnome depending on systemd was the thing that forced systemd down all our throat, no matter the distro.

It's bad enough that they made it hard or removed options to endless apps and the only way you can theme is essentially via a hack.

Now you all are arguing we shouldn't theme at all.

Godwins Law and all you're all a bunch of nazis.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#28

Post by loudtieblahblah »

avianlyric wrote: post #24
brokenkebab wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The parent correctly notes that theming is a valid feature of the platform, and asking essentially for ignoring the feature because of brand issues sounds ridiculous. It maybe 'unhelpful', but sometimes we just express our opinions here, not running consultancy services. It's called commentary section for a reason.

I don’t take issue with people expressing opinions, or even pointing out that theming is a platform feature. But I do take issue with attacking developers who write applications for free, and contribute to the Linux ecosystem, for making a reasonable request to platform developers.

Just bc you wrote something doesn't give you the right to dictate how I use it on my personal machine.

Re: Please don’t theme our apps

#30

Post by code_duck »

It reminds me of how Reddit allows subs to put in their own stylesheets. Each sub can change the look, placement, and existence of just about every UI element. It makes for the most inconsistent interface I've ever seen for a website.
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