Proposal of icons for .ipynb files

[Carreau]

Just a proposal to have icons for .ipynb files, even if the files are not cliquable yet...

Large icon, with lots of details

Smaller, and simpler one for list view (I'm thinking of removing the paper sheet beneath this one)

And a screenshot of what it looks like

the PR contain 3 svgs, 2pngs, an icns icon file for mac, and a Info.plist.example with instruction on how to used it to "install" the icon for mac os.

I guess this will change from PR full of code, unless you want to read the svgs....

--
Matthias

[takluyver]

A few random thoughts, in no particular direction:

• The cloud and the 'network' up/down arrows seem to really emphasise the network communication aspect of the notebook. To my mind, that's an implementation detail, especially in the context of icons for local files. What's important to the user is that this is a combination of executable Python code and (potentially) results for running that code.
• I like the idea of using Python's blue/yellow colours in the icon. I think we could even incorporate the Python logo*, although we'd need to ensure it was clearly distinct from the icon for .py files.
• I also like having the IP[y]: logo in there.
• I think we should keep the 'document' background, even at the smallest size. It's the standard metaphor to indicate a regular file, as opposed to applications, directories, archives and so on.
• Are we going to have one icon for all platforms, or try to integrate it with different themes. E.g. the Ubuntu 'document' background has thicker borders:

*"Projects and companies that use Python are encouraged to incorporate the Python logo on their websites, brochures, packaging, and elsewhere to indicate suitability for use with Python or implementation in Python." (Source)

Here's a rough alternative layout - it could simplify down to a document with just the [y]

I don't like that that design is entirely symbolic, though - there's no suggestion of code or results. Then I tried for a more descriptive idea, but I don't know how to make it clear that code is involved. Also, the Python logo got pushed out:

(Obviously both of these ideas are quick drafts to explore what we want, not remotely a finished product.)

[ivanov]

cool logos. I'm ok with leaving just IP[y] without ipynb, although we have .ipy files (python files with magics sprinkled about) that should also then be added to the icon, or should get a similar, but different icon.

As for the Python logo - the IPython notebook can now be used for R and octave work, so at some level and for some people, the Python side of things is just an 'implementation detail' :)

What about just IP[y]:Nb with the blue font for []:Nb, as it is for the IP[y]:Notebook banner on the dashboard

[Carreau]

A few random thoughts, in no particular direction:

The cloud and the 'network' up/down arrows seem to really emphasise the network communication aspect of the notebook. To my mind, that's an implementation detail, especially in the context of icons for local files. What's important to the user is that this is a combination of executable Python code and (potentially) results for running that code.

IMHO the fact that the notebook use network communication is more that just a detail. You could totally use only a cloud version of the notebook and exchange files with colleagues to upload them to your cloud version. Then it makes sens to have a icon that indicates to you that the file is 'cloud related'.

That make me think, I don't now what the plan are for the notebook, but we might considere having a small separate package from IPython, that just take notebook credential (store it in keychain etc) and when double clicking upload the file to a remote notebook, and open the notebook in the browser. When installed with IPython this would be in charge of 'just' opening the browser to the correct page.

I like the idea of using Python's blue/yellow colours in the icon. I think we could even incorporate the Python logo*, although we'd need to ensure it was clearly distinct from the icon for .py files.

I used exactly the same gradients, but didn't found any good ways of also integrating the python logo...

I also like having the IP[y]: logo in there.
I think we should keep the 'document' background, even at the smallest size. It's the standard metaphor to indicate a regular file, as opposed to applications, directories, archives and so on.

Are we going to have one icon for all platforms, or try to integrate it with different themes. E.g. the Ubuntu 'document' background has thicker borders:

I don't think this will be possible. os x have no borders, only shadows...
We can ships with a svg with differents component that are easily adaptable...
Is it possible to have kind of css for svg ? With colorsheme or things like that ?

Here's a rough alternative layout - it could simplify down to a document with just the [y]

For small size, I like the idea of just a file with [y] in it. ( and coupled with python logo this gives the following :-) )

[don't take it seriously unless you really like it, and then we should ask the permission to use it]

I don't like that that design is entirely symbolic, though - there's no suggestion of code or results.
Then I tried for a more descriptive idea, but I don't know how to make it clear that code is involved. Also, the Python logo got pushed out:

I don't think you need to, my guess people will think of notebook as containing images or plots, just ask google image for ipython notebbook. A icon with code might be more appropriate for .ipy files that are I think less common.

(Obviously both of these ideas are quick drafts to explore what we want, not remotely a finished product.)

[Carreau]

cool logos. I'm ok with leaving just IP[y] without ipynb, although we have .ipy files (python files with magics sprinkled about) that should also then be added to the icon, or should get a similar, but different icon.

I like to have ipynb as more and more os hide the extension, and it is really easy to change if we start having multiple extension supported by the notebook. It is also a detail that can be tweeked to match the per-platform/per theme conventions....

As for the Python logo - the IPython notebook can now be used for R and octave work, so at some level and for some people, the Python side of things is just an 'implementation detail' :)

:-)

What about just IP[y]:Nb with the blue font for []:Nb, as it is for the IP[y]:Notebook banner on the dashboard

I think IP[y]:Nb is too wide, but I like IP[y]\nNb (it's just between zirconium and molybdenuim)

Do you remember the font used by current logo BTW ?

[ivanov]

don't take it seriously unless you really like it

I like that for tiny icons! I wouldn't mind having those square brackets in the main logo

I think IP[y]:Nb is too wide, but I like IP[y]\nNb (it's just between zirconium and molybdenuim)

Notebookium! I like it.

Do you remember the font used by current logo BTW ?

Droid Sans Mono - found it in the IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/IPy_Notebook_logo.svg - and git log says that you're the one who initially committed it, so I find that rather funny :)

[takluyver]

.ipy files - I don't think they're used much, so I wouldn't worry about them.

Importance of Cloud: I don't really think it's a property of the file format. Increasingly, I can upload any file to the cloud and work on it. Should .odt files have a cloud symbol because I can use them in Google Docs? And it's also common to use a notebook file purely on your local machine, which makes the cloud symbol somewhat confusing.

Icon themes: Sorry, I just meant do we want to have different icons for the major platforms? They'd have the same elements but with subtle differences so they blend in. Anyway, we can worry about that once we've got a good design.

Involvement of 'code' in the icon: Plenty of files can include images/plots, though. .doc can do that. What makes ipynb special is that it combines that with code that you can run.

IP[y]/Nb - not bad! Could we try it with the two parts more equal in size? How about the Nb in blue&yellow? And what would it reduce to at 16*16?

[Carreau]

Droid Sans Mono - found it in the IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/IPy_Notebook_logo.svg - and git log says that you're the one who initially committed it, so I find that rather funny :)

Yes, I know it was me, just wasn't able to find it (and my memory is faulty between the day my laptop was stolen, and the previous backup...)

Icon themes: Sorry, I just meant do we want to have different icons for the major platforms?

I did extrapolate :-)

IP[y]/Nb - not bad! Could we try it with the two parts more equal in size? How about the Nb in blue&yellow? And what would it reduce to at 16*16?

I'll try ... (just need to ssh through n firewall, to get back the files...)

(and sorry posted to fast, damned )

[Carreau]

Here you go,
I'm not sure we can get something nice in 16x16 without doing it px by px.
I prefer the all blue.

[ivanov]

I prefer the all blue

I think I do as well. The 16x16 ones should probably just be "Nb" without the "IP[y]" at the top

[takluyver]

Yep, I think testbb is the best, but I agree with Paul about the 16*16 one.

[Carreau]

16 by 16, by hand : svg version availlable (o_O)

[takluyver]

I think that looks good.

[Carreau]

The 3 lowest resolution have their own svg. Do we want details (or eastereggs) in the background of biggest icons ?
Ask the other what are their thought on it ?

...

[takluyver]

I think that's looking pretty solid - let's get more opinions.

[minrk]

I think at the very least the font should match what we have in the existing logo. The dipping y is pretty unpleasant, spilling out of an otherwise fairly clean rectangle.

[ivanov]

if we're really doing design by committee, hehe, I think the spacing between the two letters 'Nb' is too great and should be decreased. But I'm pretty happy with any of these.

[Carreau]

I think at the very least the font should match what we have in the existing logo.

Ah, nice catch I used the save svg as the Qtconsole, and didn't saw the font was the wrong one.
Will fix also qtconsole.

The dipping y is pretty unpleasant, spilling out of an otherwise fairly clean rectangle.

Not quite sure I understand when translating (is this how is called the small folded corner ?), It is common metaphor to distinguish document files from other types of files.

if we're really doing design by committee, hehe, I think the spacing between the two letters 'Nb' is too great and should be decreased. But I'm pretty happy with any of these.

It 's the fond default , but I guess for 2 characters it can easily be fixed.
Except for 16/24/32 where I cheated to align with the pixels...

[minrk]

Not quite sure I understand when translating (is this how is called the small folded corner ?), It is common metaphor to distinguish document files from other types of files.

An important part of the text in the notebook logo is that the tail of the 'y' aligns with the baseline of the text, and does not dip (significantly) below. The text in these icons, on the other hand, has a curvy y, which dips well below the baseline.

Compare your icon:

with the relevant section in the notebook:

I will concede that the Droid Sans Mono font we use for the current notebook logo is a pretty ugly one, but it at least has this one nice feature for our purposes.

[Carreau]

Oh, that is dipping, it makes sens now :-)

[Carreau]

fixed, above images should have been updated. I applied the python blue gradient also to []: and did shrink the distance between N and b.

[Carreau]

force push, this also fix the qtconsole icon to use correct font and alignement for [y]

[fperez]

Do you guys think we can put this in for 0.13? Since it's not code it's kind of low risk, and we can always rethink this for a redesign in the 0.14 timeframe...

[minrk]

I think it's fine to include this in 0.13 - I'm still not super happy about some of it (N,b not being the same height is pretty annoying), but there's no harm in including this now, and tweaking it further in the future.

[fperez]

BTW, because this PR deals with image files, it's the one case where I'd prefer to rebase it into a single commit that only has the final versions. There's no point in keeping all the intermediate revisions of the images in the history, is there?

They will remain available in this discussion for reference in case we want to go back over something from a previous version.

[Carreau]

Sorry guys only have my smartphone for a few days, will do what i can as
soon as possible.
Le 25 juin 2012 21:10, "Fernando Perez" <
reply@reply.github.com>
a écrit :

BTW, because this PR deals with image files, it's the one case where I'd
prefer to rebase it into a single commit that only has the final versions.
There's no point in keeping all the intermediate revisions of the images
in the history, is there?

They will remain available in this discussion for reference in case we
want to go back over something from a previous version.

---

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub:
#1968 (comment)

[Carreau]

@minrk,

I'm still not super happy about some of it (N,b not being the same height is pretty annoying),

That's the font, and How it is in Notebook Header...

There's no point in keeping all the intermediate revisions of the images in the history, is there?

Thats already the case.

• One commit for SVGs,
• one commit for PNGs (went through pngcrush -bruteforce)
• And one to fix the Qtconsole icon's (svg) font

Yes it is not a single commit but there are no intermediate version, the embeded version in this PR direcly linked a non-rebased branch of my repository.

[fperez]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. I didn't scan the commits one-by-one and thought they had more history than this.

In light of this and the above discussion, I'm merging it now. We can work on it further during the 0.14 cycle, but it will be a good base for discussion. Thanks for your patience, @Carreau !

[Carreau]

No problem, even I did forget that I had already rebased to do so :-)