icons differ only in color

[Martin von Gagern]

Binary package hint: knetworkmanager

I just noticed that knetworkmanager in Intrepid does display its globe icons in two different colors, green for connected and gray for unconnected. Otherwise the icons look the same, with similar intensity and same object depiceted. I think this is a problem for several reasons:

1. People tend to associate meaning with the objects they see, i.e. "globe" instead of "green coloured globe centered at equator and prime meridian, with light continents on darker ground".
I saw a globe, moved the mouse over it, learned that it was network manager in connected state. Next time around, I saw a globe, found out my network to be disconnected, and thus concluded erroneously that there was no state expressed by the icon. I simply didn't remember the color of the icon, as for me the mental term "globe" seemed sufficient to remember this.

2. A considerable percentage of Kubuntu users is probably to some degree color blind. As slight color blindness won't impact computer use in general, they are unlikely to have special accessibility features activated. So they wouldn't have special icon themes installed, and thus have to use tool tips in order to find out the current state.

3. The network manager is usually pretty close to a corner of the screen, an area where on some monitors and in some working environments color might begin to depend on viewing angle. So you learn not to put too much trust in colors in these regions, and thus won't notice the difference easily.

All this would be solved by a symbol with more distinctions than just its color. A red bar in front of the globe would be the obvious solution, but the more creative people might think of something more inspired.

I guess fixing this for the intrepid release might be a problem, so long after the user interface freeze. On the other hand, the main Ubuntu docs stay unaffected, only Kubuntu would be affected.

[Martin von Gagern (gagern)]

OK, didn't make it into Intrepid. Will you consider it for Jaunty then?

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

Yes, this is fixed with the new NetworkManager plasmoid in Jaunty. It uses two completely different icons for connected and disconnected.