Loading ...Work has begun on designing and developing the new theme for Ubuntu’s next release: Hardy Heron. The Ubuntu desktop has used the “Human” theme for quite a while now, and while it’s been quiet attractive, there is work to use a redesigned theme with the upcoming release to really mark the next LTS version (long term support) of Ubuntu.
The Wiki page from the Artwork team defines a lot of the design requirements for the theme, including the fact that it will be full SVG-based, meaning it will be completely zoomable and resizable for any DPI, resolution, etc. and still look crystal sharp.
The basic palette that will be used is as follows:
The specification for the theme is extremely detailed, specifying everything from where imagination light-sources are casting light from (to give the glowing effect) to the roundedness of corners and % of transparency used. Obviously modern theme design needs exactly that, and so far the mockup of the desktop done with a brief look at the new theme is looking sharp:
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December 10th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Personally looks a bit too “Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory” for my tastes.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I agree… I like the palette, but then the desktop mockup is about 15-20% over the top.
That was one thing Human had, it was subtle but really polished.
The good news is that it’s just a mockup, if it bothers you and me, I’d guess it bothers a lot more of the Ubuntu devs that it looks a hair *too* cartoony, so let’s hope they tone it down a bit.
I wouldn’t mind simply taking Human and adding the more Apple-esque control effects that we see above, that would look nice and polished… but I guess the other big job of HH’s theme is to make the entire thing SVG-based… so I guess it’s a ground-up job.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:40 am
brown again?
i was hoping something more like ubuntu studio artwork + dark panels with gradients (not dark theme)+ human theme + tangerine icon set
something that really can compete with mac os and vista looks.
anyway if they do go with the brownish than a theme “similar” to geubuntu’s sunshine would be awesome
screenshot
http://geubuntu.intilinux.com/screenshots/sunshinemainscreen_g.jpg
http://geubuntu.intilinux.com/
December 11th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Manny interesting… it looks very Enlightenment-ish…
December 11th, 2007 at 11:03 am
yea it’s e17 theme but has most of the colors the ubuntu devs are looking for hardy.
and it’s plain clean, simple and attractive.
i suggest the new theme has to be attractive enough that even MAC users would like to make their macs look like ubuntu (ok maybe am dreaming :p).
right now the coolest ubuntu is ubuntu studio, without that theme anyone would rarely download it.
the ubuntu studio theme looks so good people are porting it to their cel phones
http://www.hacemossupagina.com/blog2/?p=15
if we want 2008 to be the year of linux it has to become more attractive. “Looks sell by themselves”.
something as simple as a theme could give a huge promotion to ubuntu and make our work to converting friends to linux easier.
something like this
http://www.silverwingsonline.com/ubuntu1.jpg
or
http://bp1.blogger.com/_Xie1ydrCav4/RcnoynbQdxI/AAAAAAAAAA8/RiCmewlMRCQ/s1600-h/affinity-start-composited.jpg
maybe we are afraid of making linux (specially ubuntu) look “too good” ?
December 11th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Damn, manny both those links are really beautiful mockups… I like that first one, very polished.
December 11th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
yea they are from the developer of Avant window navigator (awn) and affinity.
he really is not shy at making linux look good.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:27 am
It definitely looks better than what we have now but I still prefer something like this:
http://mopedia.blogspot.com/
December 17th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Mohammed, that is one of the nicest looking OS X conversions I’ve seen in a long time.
Thanks for documenting it all here:
http://mopedia.blogspot.com/2007/12/pimp-my-ubuntu.html
January 1st, 2008 at 11:40 am
I like the human theme better, I think it looks much more professional and clean.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
In my opinion the theme is ugly :s I hope they will do a 360° turn around..
February 4th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Ithink human theme was plain jane and good for old timers or someone with very little imagination. But this new them is very nice but not over the top enough. that said I hope u can keep the theme and alter the colors..say to same layout but black or blue and so forth. also would be nice to have everthing at the bottom and not top and bottom. Linux distro’s have had a long time need and coming for a over all visual refresh..lets hope they go all out on it because visual hardly ever changes for long periods of time. if they stick to more plain boring look as in past. U can expect only the few that use it now to be using it and not the masses.
Best of luck on refresh visual:)
February 4th, 2008 at 7:32 am
I think the human looks terrible compared to what is out there. Human theme could be compared to windows 95 to xp. very behind. When asking a multitude of people at different office locations. That all tend to agree totally on this mater. So I really don’t think its just My Opinion but a majority.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Sam/Ru,
Do you have a link to a desktop screenshot or theme that you think would be a step in the right direction? You said the new theme isn’t “over the top enough”, I’m just curious what kind of improvement you would have wanted to see?
February 7th, 2008 at 4:21 am
We Currently do not have our work publish to the internet. But once done with the modifications will be posting a mock up link page.
Best Regards
February 7th, 2008 at 4:28 am
I can offer one feature that could be added done by our team. the task bar at bottom of gnome that you can add icon links, system tray, clock so on. some people like to use auto hide and others like it to show all time. the method in how this is switched is to long form we believe. Simply by adding a icon that you click once and it returns the taskbar into auto hide mode. click again to make it stay open all time. This method makes it fast and easy to switch from autohide to a task bar all time there. This feature could be choosable under the ‘add to panel’
February 7th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Guys thanks for following up, I think a lot of folks are really excited to see what you do with the Ubuntu theme. The release is sneaking up faster and faster… 2 more months? I imagine the theme is finalized now?
I haven’t tried out Beta 4 yet, but I’ll try and dig up a few screenshots from it to see how it’s coming.
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Hi im the creator the ubuntu studio Theme, now. have a new theme for ubuntu Hardy Haron. for any Phone……….
http://www.hacemossupagina.com/blog2/?p=436
February 26th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Hacemossupagina, that’s a pretty slick UI. Nice job!
March 28th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Just to clarify this, that is not the theme, it is A theme out of many. Many people are reporting this as a chosen theme. It may still win out but as of now, it is just one of many. I don’t feel that this shows the best screens (all taken from the wiki) so I included the direct link to the ubuntu wiki.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/BasicIdeals
March 28th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
James thanks for the link, there are some interesting mockups there.
I think I’m the only looser in the group that still likes the way Human looks… they did a pretty great job already… some of these newer ones, while flashy look a bit flatter.
I guess either way we are going to get a nicer looking Ubuntu come 8.10.
April 17th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Dude, When can i get my desktop to look like that. Is this for Gnome 3? I love it. I’m using KDE on my daily partition because it is easier to customize that gnome. but i really want the look.
April 17th, 2008 at 10:22 am
One great thing about ubuntu (and most any linux distro) is that if you don’t like the default theme, you can make it look ANY way you like with very little work.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:18 am
If it works can you please mail me that theme to my email?
Very nice theme, would like to use it
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:59 am
great themes, i like it.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Excellent themes
Great work.
September 20th, 2008 at 3:08 am
I love this theme. Where can i download it?
September 26th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Malou,
I don’t think this theme was ever made official and put into a separate download… fortunately the upcoming theme from Hardy Heron though is a dark theme and will look somewhat like this.