Created attachment 3204 icons in 16px,24px and 48px svg hi, i just wanted to submit this proposal for a unique icon for the netload plugin (tango-style). the 24px resolution svg could maybe use some improvement, feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks for the proposal, this is very much welcome. A couple of comments: 1) Are you sure the proportions of the connector correspond an actual one? Your icon looks a bit more square than the real thing, which seems to me to be flatter. No need to be ultra realistic, but I think this difference of proportions made it a bit harder to recognize what it is. 2) xfce4-netload-plugin works with wifi as well as cabled networks, but the icon suggests it is only about cabled nets. It would be nice if the icon could be more neutral to the type of network. On the otherhand, I have no idea how to do that, so if you don't know either, we can keep it the way it is. 3) Having an svg is very nice, but for the smaller sizes in particular, a hand tweaked png would be better. Otherwise, at small sizes, some details end up being smaller that 1 pixel, and generally most thing's size is a non integer number of pixels, so it looks a bit blurry. If you can improve that, it would be fantastic. If you don't have time, despite what I said above, this is already pretty good, and I could use it as is.
*** Bug 6702 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
ad 1) yes, that is true, i made the icon a bit more square than realistic to make "better use" of the space. i agree that this is maybe not the optimum, since the recognizability of the icon might suffer. i'll try to tweak it back :) ad 2) this is a difficult topic. i really don't have much of a clue how to represent both apart from overlaying cable/wifi icons (which i don't consider a good option) or making an icon representing a network-pci-card (and even that might make wrong implications). if anyone has ideas how to improve this, suggestions are more than welcome. ad 3) good point, will be tackled in the next version.
Created attachment 3205 a network/server rack
Created attachment 3206 a network router
ad ad 2) i added two ideas i had for combining wireless and cable, not sure this is working out to be honest. personally i think the rack looks too much like a radio and the router might suggest the wrong thing - what's your opinion on that? any suggestions as to where i/we could take this?
The network server looks like an oscilloscope to me, so I don't think that'll work. The router looks pretty good though, and could be an answer to item 2. If you add the gray/green monitor dots next to it, this might just fit the bill. If you have enough time, I'd like to compare your first proposal and the router one, with item 1 and 3 addressed. If you don't have so much time, just focus on the router.
Created attachment 3209 the cable, redimensioned
Created attachment 3210 router with horizontal lights
Created attachment 3211 router with vertical lights (as requested)
k, this was a very quick shot at the router and cable. take a look and let me know which one you prefer, then i'll try to ameliorate it and create lower res pngs.
I showed both the router and the network cable to my wife, and without giving her any context, she could identify the router, but not the cable. For the cable, she though it was some sort of strangely shaped SD . We also agree that horizontal dots look better than vertical. So, based on this 100% accurate and scientific survey showing that routers are more commonly identifiable than cables, and that horizontal dots are prettier, the router with horizontal dots wins.
OK, the router with horizontal lights it is :) I was wondering when starting to create the smaller sizes whether we're really happy about the lights or whether I should try to make them look a bit more dynamic (as in: some on, some off)? If you say you're happy with the status quo I won't invest more time in this and maybe go to other plugins' icons, otherwise I could give it a go.
No particular opinion either way. Go with what you think is best.
Sorry, I was tired when I made the previous comment. Not sure it makes so much sense. So, Yes, I'd like to have the small png, and no, I don't think dynamic lights are necessary, unless you prefer it that way.
Created attachment 3237 netload icons (final) 24 and 48px pngs, 48px svg here go the final icons, sorry took some time to whop them together. i focussed on optimizing the pngs. 16px doesn't render such a complex icon very well, for now i refrained from creating one. if you really want to have one, i'll give it a shot though.
Icon added. Will be available from the next release. Thanks a lot!