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Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga Software News => Topic started by: Argo on October 19, 2003, 10:04:30 PM
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Elena Novaretti has produced a superb PNG icon patch for OS 3.5/3.9 which lets you use PNG icons, like those in MorphOS.
Update: For a quick comparison: MikeB's classic icons (http://webring.amigaworld.net/normalclassicicons.png' target='_blank) and png icons (http://webring.amigaworld.net/24bitpngicons.png' target='_blank) with patch installed.
Download PowerIcons (http://www.elena-fractals.it/Downloads/PowerIcons.lha' target='_blank).
Have tested this on a A1200 060 with Mediator and Voodoo 3 and it ran very well.
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Ah, so the rest of the Amiga community suddenly realise that having 32 bit PNG icons might actually be a good idea? ;-)
But users should be careful of making their systems slow and annoying to use by expecting too much of their machines - a bit like using glowicons on an 030/25 and then having to use shell all the time because workbench is too slow.
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Ah, so the rest of the Amiga community suddenly realise that having 32 bit PNG icons might actually be a good idea?
I've been saying that since before OS3.5 was released.
There are a few faults with the program where you can't have a drawer and file of the same name in the same location but other than that the program is quite awesome. Yeah, I miss the alternate image with these but it's nothing new since the original AmigaOS release didn't come with an editor capable of doing a selected image icon. I wonder if the author would be willing to release the source so other programmers can fine tune the alpha channels and potentially write a warp compliant version... or even debug it for people beta testing OS4.
:pint:
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@Kenny
Its not as if its a new idea; truecolour icons have been around on other platforms long before Morphos.
As for the speed issue its actually OK on 68040 (unless I want to scroll a window full). You may also notice its released for MOS too, since according to the docs, MOS support for png icons stops at Ambient, whereas this is for all users of the icon.library...
Since this is only the first release, I expect it to improve with age...
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@Kent, I already got a very positive response from Elena regarding ideas for alternate image support and an 'alternative' method of rendering the imagry on screen ;-)
As for source code release, I hope she will consider it too...
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No, it's not that, it's just that Amigans tend to deny themselves good new things because they're generally resistant to new ideas, especially ideas that come from other platforms. When I first heard MOS would use PNG icons I groaned. Unamigalike and inflexible I said. Turned out they were better than the old limited Amiga way of doing it.
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All you need now are SVG icons. :-P
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@KennyR
I was the same way, as Neko loves to remind me every other week or so.
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@ KennyR & Downix
Let's not forget the Amiga has a history of adopting good stuff from other OS' and making it better.
E.G.
Grey look and platformed icons from NextStep
File alias' from MacOS
Dock from MacOS
Public screens from MacOS
Drag'n'Drop from MacOS
Movable Pallettes from MacOS
I'm sure there are more and a whole host of new ones in OS4. Of course the Amiga has its far share of innovations also now used by MacOs and Windows.
:-P
Valan
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I've always liked PNG icons. GlowIcons look very dated to
me these days, but NewIcons as a whole have held their
age well...they look far less sloppy anyway (as far as
old - style icons go).
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Too bad it won't work with 3.1... :-(
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uhm, a developer that programs for MorphOS giving source code to OS4? Why not hyperion supports png icons? i think that they will support too...
But, im using my MorphOS 1.4 with truecolor icons ;)
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The moment I saw the screenshots showing the RAM Disk icon in MorphOS with the tiny white butterfly I fell in love with it.
Loving or not png icons was no more a question to me ever since :-)
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a developer that programs for MorphOS giving source code to OS4?
When will people see this whole yin yang of MorphOS and Amiga. One really can't exist without the other when it comes down to it.
Let's say Amiga was to go out of business tomorrow and the only possible way forward is via Genesi because Eyetech decided to get out of the Amiga market as well. What happens when the already split community decides to leave and let die. Genesi will have to contend for itself without a thought of support from the die hard Amiga supporters. I'm not saying Genesi wouldn't survive, just have a real tought time of it. The same holds true for Amiga though. What happens if Genesi ran out of funds and had to close up shop due to their R&D costing way too much. Now you'd have all of these disgruntled Pegasos buyers who are demanding the ability to run OS4. Worse yet is if Genesi closes up shop the PR for an Amiga like system goes through the floor and Amiga would get even less coverage than they do currently sending them further into their spiral.
When will people understand it? We shouldn't be bashing away at who gets there first but helping the other who falls behind. The common goal here is the next Amiga operating system, whether it's AmigaOS or not. When a program can run on both OS4 and MorphOS natively the potential market is greater. Shutting off a key group is just as smart as shooting yourself in the foot.
To all the developers out there, don't support the OS... instead support the community.
The author of PowerIcons has done an excellent job and there are definately some tweaks that need to take place. She wrote it to support OS3.5 and OS3.9, so why not find someone who could help write a WarpOS option? Even better yet, find an OS4 developer to help refine the source so better icons can be used in both AmigaOS AND MorphOS?
I could go on... but I think I'll stop here and wait.
:pint:
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No, it's not that, it's just that Amigans tend to deny themselves good new things because they're generally resistant to new ideas
Very true... the only time I said I didn't like the idea of PNG icons in any way was when I was referring to how ugly the original set looked in the early Ambient screenshots. I personally think they still need to refine their selection of icons though. However, when I first heard about PNG icons on MOS, I freaked out and wanted it now now now. Bout time someone released something like PowerIcons for the community.
:pint:
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My Power Icons WB :-)
http://www.eskala.co.yu/PowerDower.jpg
:-) :-) :-) :-)
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When will people understand it? We shouldn't be bashing away at who gets there first but helping the other who falls behind.
thank YOU, kent, for being so freaking rational!
I've tried not to get involved with any of the bashing and childish nonsense that has been happening around the various amiga sites for far too long.
that's because i feel about the Amiga just as you express it. it's easy to destroy something, but hard to create. so, if someone is trying to make something, (esp an OS) I support them 200%!!!!
I think my brain is big enough to contain the concept of several flavors of an AMiga OS. It's all good!
:-D
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When I think about it, there is no reason for anyone (except AInc) to hate Genesi as they indeed contribute in defining an appropriate renovation of the classic OS that meets today's expectations.
32 bit PNG capable icon.library is definitely a big plus to OS4.
The author must receive some attention from OS4 dev team.
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why do people like to have a windows xp style start bar on their amiga?
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XP????
who wants to look like XP? :-o
linux has a nice bar, whatever it's called. panels, or something. they can retract. very cute. and i think the one on MorphOS just lets you drop the icon in the panel. VERY easy to configure.
NOT xp AT all! :-P
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SVG icons will arrive as soon as there is a decent SVG renderer available.
Not even KDE or GNOME have a fully mature one yet. MorphOS is fully poised to take advantage of the new XML-based file formats like SVG, the problem is interpreting that data and putting it on the screen.
One of the cool advantages to SVG (via an SVG datatype, perhaps) might be much easier skin generation for MorphOS, by way of vectored window gadgets (again) or more flexible scrollers, or even doing the entire window border in SVG (more like X11 than AmigaOS, I'll grant you that)
But that's for future discussion and implementation. Don't let yourself think we didn't already consider it ;)
BTW Downix, you were wrong, I was right!
=Neko= (The guy who had the idea and roughed out the PNG icons format for MorphOS idea originally :)