Comment 36 for bug 312993

LucaDC:
Thank you for your reply. Now I can see your point, and I also can see that the theme is not complete.
Apparently, in Linux the missing icons were replaced by the default ones, so I believed that the theme was complete but is not.
What you say about the "higher contrast" in default theme is also the cause of it being unusable for dark backgrounds. The outline disappears and all the line elements become invisible.
Themes with less contrast like Tangos or the reworked default perform better in different background colors.
It's impossible to reach a win-win situation here. Black outlines give better contrast and work better on light backgrounds but are lost in dark ones, while lower contrast themes are more flexible but look sort of less defined.

I think there should be a more accessible to the final user way to change themes. I know a UI preference would clutter even more the already cluttered preferences dialog, but unfortunately it's not that obvious for the new user that the theme can be changed.
Personally, I'd include the different icons themes in the default instalation with a simple dropdown in the Interfase section of the preferences, under the language selector. That would end the neverending discussion about tangos or not, and would make more obvious the ability to change icon themes.

Thanks for your comments.

P.s.: When I mentioned the beauty vs. usability thing in my previous comment I was trying to avoid the discussion too. If one finds prettier one or another theme is a complete subjective matter and it shouldn't be an argument in favor or against.