Discussion
|
Size: 2099
Comment: Meat
|
Size: 2975
Comment: On ideas, opinions, education
|
| Deletions are marked like this. | Additions are marked like this. |
| Line 5: | Line 5: |
| Line 7: | Line 9: |
| In the Japanese art of archery, it is said that correct shooting will inevitably result in correct hitting. The process of shooting is celebrated, no unnecessary steps are taken. The practitioner aims to achieve a state of total concentration, of no thoughts and no illusions. | In the Japanese art of archery, it is said that correct shooting will inevitably result in correct hitting. The process of shooting is celebrated, no unnecessary steps are taken. The practitioner aims to achieve a state of total concentration, of no superfluous thoughts and no illusions. |
| Line 10: | Line 12: |
| Line 20: | Line 23: |
| === Collaboration === | === Ideas, Opinions, Collaboration === |
| Line 22: | Line 25: |
| It would be good for both productivity and spirit to get a community involved with creating and maintaining an Ubuntu theme and icons. This should also have an educational effect. | It would be good for both productivity and spirit to get a community involved with creating and maintaining a theme or set of themes. |
| Line 24: | Line 27: |
| The artwork community suffers from an influx of personal opinions towards the middle of each release cycle. Lots of "I like this" and "I don't like that". Often without reason and context. There are lots of assumptions made, but never communicated. | The artwork community suffers from an influx of random ideas followed by random opinions at the start of each release cycle. It is often unclear what people are trying to achieve with their ideas. Assumptions are made, but not communicated. There's no basis for discussion and teamwork, if the intentions and assumptions are unknown. |
| Line 26: | Line 29: |
| The artwork can't be made for any single one of these people, so there needs to be a common base for judgement and collaboration. | Opinions often come down to a "I like this" or "I don't like that". The value of such opinions brought forward on the list, IRC channel, forum and many other places are overestimated by some. Just because someone is vocal doesn't mean that they have any insight or can speak for others. We must assume that we never hear from the actual majority. |
| Line 28: | Line 31: |
| It must be understood that all artwork must be seen in the context of its goals and the audience it is made for. Without this context, artwork and criticism are empty. | Furthermore, opinions without reason and context are worthless. There are so many and often conflicting ones. It is not that interesting what our artwork means to a single random person, of whom we might not even have background information. We have to ask what it is likely to mean to our audience in the context of what we want to achieve. |
| Line 30: | Line 33: |
| A central set of goals is required to get people to pull in the same direction. | We need to pull hidden assumptions into the light to either share or invalidate them. We need a tool to overcome personal taste, something that can be used as measure for all efforts. A central set of goals is required to get people to work together in a meaningful way. This falls in line with the needs of this design process itself. |
| Line 32: | Line 35: |
| We need to pull hidden assumptions into the light to either share or invalidate them. We need a tool to overcome personal taste, something that can be used as measure for all efforts. This falls in line with the needs of this design process itself. | === Education and Competency === There's a lack of skilled and trained artists and designers in the Free Software world. A highly visible and structured ongoing design process should have educational value. It can serve as introduction and training ground for newcomers. Showing competency might attract skilled and knowledgeable people who would otherwise worry about being met with ignorance. |
Mindset
About the ideas behind this effort and the Mindset we would like to see adopted by a wider community.
Why Kyūdō?
In the Japanese art of archery, it is said that correct shooting will inevitably result in correct hitting. The process of shooting is celebrated, no unnecessary steps are taken. The practitioner aims to achieve a state of total concentration, of no superfluous thoughts and no illusions.
There can be no pretension that what we want to do happens on a similar level. However, the idea that an optimal result follows from an optimal process, deep respect to ourselves, tools and technique and seeking strong focus, shall be our inspiration.
Principles
Decisions based on facts are best. Decisions based on assumptions are better than random decisions.
Strict and tight requirements help us, because they restrict the otherwise infinite space of possibilities in design and make it manageable.
Ideas, Opinions, Collaboration
It would be good for both productivity and spirit to get a community involved with creating and maintaining a theme or set of themes.
The artwork community suffers from an influx of random ideas followed by random opinions at the start of each release cycle. It is often unclear what people are trying to achieve with their ideas. Assumptions are made, but not communicated. There's no basis for discussion and teamwork, if the intentions and assumptions are unknown.
Opinions often come down to a "I like this" or "I don't like that". The value of such opinions brought forward on the list, IRC channel, forum and many other places are overestimated by some. Just because someone is vocal doesn't mean that they have any insight or can speak for others. We must assume that we never hear from the actual majority.
Furthermore, opinions without reason and context are worthless. There are so many and often conflicting ones. It is not that interesting what our artwork means to a single random person, of whom we might not even have background information. We have to ask what it is likely to mean to our audience in the context of what we want to achieve.
We need to pull hidden assumptions into the light to either share or invalidate them. We need a tool to overcome personal taste, something that can be used as measure for all efforts. A central set of goals is required to get people to work together in a meaningful way. This falls in line with the needs of this design process itself.
Education and Competency
There's a lack of skilled and trained artists and designers in the Free Software world. A highly visible and structured ongoing design process should have educational value. It can serve as introduction and training ground for newcomers. Showing competency might attract skilled and knowledgeable people who would otherwise worry about being met with ignorance.
On Criticism
To be filled in.
Artwork/Documentation/Discussion (last edited 2009-04-17 12:16:30 by p508965B5)