Posted by member 12025 on 2004-08-16 20:24:01 link
Functional: yes, the shell is supposed to be functional. So let's go with this analogy. The shell is the electrical and plumbing. The modules are the fridge, stove, microwave, cupboards, etc., and the theme you make is the fully decked out kitchen, complete with a coffee maker and some catfood on the floor. Art does not need to have any glitz or emotional impact.
From good old Webster:
1 : skill acquired by experience, study, or observation
2 a : a branch of learning: (1) : one of the humanities (2) plural : LIBERAL ARTS b archaic : LEARNING, SCHOLARSHIP
3 : an occupation requiring knowledge or skill
4 a : the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also : works so produced b (1) : FINE ARTS (2) : one of the fine arts (3) : a graphic art
5 a archaic : a skillful plan b : the quality or state of being artful
6 : decorative or illustrative elements in printed matter
All but #6 can apply to theming LS. In particular, an art is practically anything learned from experience and observation that is used to create something, as opposed to a science, that is used more to understand something. They overlap, of course. The execution of the art makes a work of art.
X-inspired themes: previous UIs and nature are where good inspiration comes. And boredom--always good for epiphanies :). Or as Poe had it, "epochs of most intense tranquility".
Universal remotes can do/be both, those that do just cost an arm, a leg, and a first-born child :).
Small things: everyone should at least skim the readme of a theme, and often with such things (in my case especially), the whole point is to be out of the way, yet easy to get to--and everything is optional. Reading docs, even if not thruroughly, is very important with LS, as you could have a very useful theme with only LSXCommand, jKey, mzScript and a VWM module (I used to have such an animal, for when I broke what I was working on). Even I don't want some of my own stuff in the way sometimes. No static spot can be reached faster than corners--so that's a good spot for misc. crap (except the top-right--or top-left if you're using Mac windowblinds skin). I have it visible so as not to have what I consider an annoying fact of hotspots: they are there but you can't see them at all.
Audience: the audience is myself, and anyone else who has similar thinking (according to my MBTI, that's only 1% or so :)). If you try merely to please others (as a group, not counting contract work and friends), you will fail every time.
Cater to everyone: You cannot cater to everyone's wants. Someone who's used a PC as a GUI-based tool from the start won't find my themes anywhere near as useful as I do, I don't think. I started with a CLI, and still keep at least two handy (LSH (cmd to look/act like BASH, but familiar as cmd) and LSXCommand). Yet look at all the themes out there w/o LSXCommand in them now.
My thoughts: It must take a lot of work to search google and amazon, use a calculator, and start up most apps!
I use a GUI for what it is better at, and nothing else, unless I can't help it (the systray, FI, is a necessary evil). A GUI can do many things well, and I want to maximize the use of those features, but I want nothing gratuitous(sp), and nothing I can do faster and easier with a command line (including getting to it).
From good old Webster:
1 : skill acquired by experience, study, or observation
2 a : a branch of learning: (1) : one of the humanities (2) plural : LIBERAL ARTS b archaic : LEARNING, SCHOLARSHIP
3 : an occupation requiring knowledge or skill
4 a : the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also : works so produced b (1) : FINE ARTS (2) : one of the fine arts (3) : a graphic art
5 a archaic : a skillful plan b : the quality or state of being artful
6 : decorative or illustrative elements in printed matter
All but #6 can apply to theming LS. In particular, an art is practically anything learned from experience and observation that is used to create something, as opposed to a science, that is used more to understand something. They overlap, of course. The execution of the art makes a work of art.
X-inspired themes: previous UIs and nature are where good inspiration comes. And boredom--always good for epiphanies :). Or as Poe had it, "epochs of most intense tranquility".
Universal remotes can do/be both, those that do just cost an arm, a leg, and a first-born child :).
Small things: everyone should at least skim the readme of a theme, and often with such things (in my case especially), the whole point is to be out of the way, yet easy to get to--and everything is optional. Reading docs, even if not thruroughly, is very important with LS, as you could have a very useful theme with only LSXCommand, jKey, mzScript and a VWM module (I used to have such an animal, for when I broke what I was working on). Even I don't want some of my own stuff in the way sometimes. No static spot can be reached faster than corners--so that's a good spot for misc. crap (except the top-right--or top-left if you're using Mac windowblinds skin). I have it visible so as not to have what I consider an annoying fact of hotspots: they are there but you can't see them at all.
Audience: the audience is myself, and anyone else who has similar thinking (according to my MBTI, that's only 1% or so :)). If you try merely to please others (as a group, not counting contract work and friends), you will fail every time.
Cater to everyone: You cannot cater to everyone's wants. Someone who's used a PC as a GUI-based tool from the start won't find my themes anywhere near as useful as I do, I don't think. I started with a CLI, and still keep at least two handy (LSH (cmd to look/act like BASH, but familiar as cmd) and LSXCommand). Yet look at all the themes out there w/o LSXCommand in them now.
My thoughts: It must take a lot of work to search google and amazon, use a calculator, and start up most apps!
I use a GUI for what it is better at, and nothing else, unless I can't help it (the systray, FI, is a necessary evil). A GUI can do many things well, and I want to maximize the use of those features, but I want nothing gratuitous(sp), and nothing I can do faster and easier with a command line (including getting to it).