Refine default theme and fonts

[bwat47]

I've just installed linux mint 14, and love it. But one thing I didn't like was the default theme and fonts. I think if they were refined it would give a better first impression of mint!

1. The window decoration in the default theme has jagged edges. Cinnamon's window manager *does* support properly anti-aliased window borders, but the window decoration theme has to be properly designed to take advantage of it. For example here is a screenshot of my linux mint 14 desktop using the greybird theme. As you can see the corners are very smooth compared to the default mint theme: http://i.imgur.com/jEVrV.png

2. The bright green menu highlights on the default theme are a bit much. In addition, a selected menu item has the bright green highlight and white text causing readability issues, and just looks grating. I like the idea of a nice green theme, but it should be a bit more subtle.

3. The default fonts just aren't very good. Sans isn't a very nice looking interface font, there are plenty of superior interface fonts available (for example droid sans, liberation sans, ubuntu font). The screenshot in # 1 shows droid sans + liberation mono for the terminal font.

4. The dark nemo sidebar looks nice, but combined with the default icon theme you end up with a few cases of a black icon on a black background, which isn't ideal (for example the home folder icon)

[gothicpreston]

It's a fair observation.
Whilst the splash screen is an excellent piece of artwork/graphic design, it has been with us for quite a few releases now.
I also agree that first impressions do count, and compared to some of the "alternatives" we do look a little pale and pasty when we first boot up.
Could be time for one of our talented artists to create something both professional looking and up-to-date with our newer technology under the hood (bonet for our UK friends).
GP

[bimsebasse]

Odd, I think the splash boot screen is one of the few professional looking elements design wise in Mint (even if it's just a slightly modified version of Ubuntu's).

Agree on the fonts and the window theme. I wish they would hire Satya (maker of the greybird theme) to do a Mint gtk theme. The ubuntu font is out of the question for obvious reasons (probably my favourite free font, it's awesome) but FreeSans, Droid Sans or even Nimbus Sans all look better than Sans.

The default Cinnamon theme could also do with some tender loving care though the move to Nightlife was a significant improvement over the vanilla Cinnamon default grey semitransparent mess.

Mint will probably never achieve the refinement looks wise of the closest competitors, it's just not a major focus area.

[Kostaz]

The ubuntu font is out of the question for obvious reasons .

Hate to sound like an absolute retard but what are those reasons?

(apologies btw if this is considered thread necromancing, new on the board so no idea what the time scale is here)

[bimsebasse]

It's Ubuntu branding and Mint wants to create an identity separate from Ubuntu. It's not branding that will be picked up as universally as the purple wallpaper, or the Ambiance gtk theme, but it's Ubuntu branding still.

[Kostaz]

Guess it depends on the priorities. Picking the best available components might be viewed as more important than striving to being different from Ubuntu.