Missing "ubuntu" named icon in hicolor icon theme

[Luca Ferretti]

Binary package hint: ubuntu-desktop

The Icon Theme Spec [1] and the Icon Naming Spec[2] from freedestkop.org define some useful suggestions (as well as rules) for icon usage on desktop environments.

Based on those suggestion, I think Ubuntu should install the "ubuntu" named icon unded "hicolor" icon theme. This named icon will be:
  * visible to each application, 'cause installed in hicolor
  * usable to customize and branding Ubuntu stuff
  * themeable

I'm opening this bug looking at the System->About Ubuntu menu item: it seems that this menu item is using (in Edgy) the "start-here" named icon defined in [2] with some hacks in Tango icon theme. This is wrong, 'cause this named icon can and should change depending on select theme, it's not designed for distro branding purpose.

You can see why it's wrogn if you switch to to "GNOME" icon theme; the named icon for "start-here" is the GNOME footprint logo, not the Ubuntu logo. On Edgy, only Tango based icon themes seems to work, 'cause the "start-here" icon in Tango theme is replaced by Ubuntu logo.

The proper solution to provide a branding icon for Ubuntu is, following spec [1] and [2], install a "ubuntu" named icon under hicolor icon theme. This named icon could be used everywhere in the desktop for Ubuntu related branding stuff (About Ubuntu, for example). Also this named icon will always used 'cause it's installed in hicolor, unless your current theme will not provide a custom "ubuntu" named icon (no needs to hack Tango icon theme).

My suggestion is reuse the "start-here" icon available in Tangerine icon theme to create a new "ubuntu-icon" package. This package should only install 16x16, 22x22, 24x24, 32x32 pixels PNG and 48x48 SVG in /usr/share/icons/hicolor/<size>/apps/ and update GTK icon cache.

Also I suggest to reuse as Ubuntu logo the "start-here" icon in Tangerine icon theme, due to the match to Tango style. Please note that the 32x32 size is missing.

PS I'm opening this bug for ubuntu-desktop package, I hope this is a proper place
PPS of course the same should occur in Kubuntu ("kubuntu" named icon), Edubuntu ("edubuntu" named icon)..

[1] http://freedesktop.org/wiki/Standards_2ficon_2dtheme_2dspec
[2] http://freedesktop.org/wiki/Standards_2ficon_2dnaming_2dspec

[Luca Ferretti (elle.uca)]

24x24 icon should be the 22x22 icon with 1 pixel transparent border.

See Tango Style Guidelines for details http://tango.freedesktop.org/Tango_Icon_Theme_Guidelines