[Feature]: Custom icons for machines and their threads

[ElliotDrel]

Before submitting

• I searched existing issues and did not find a duplicate.
• I am describing a concrete problem or use case, not just a vague idea.

Area

apps/desktop

Problem or use case

When a thread is associated with a different machine through T3 Connect, the thread list currently shows the same generic desktop icon. This tells me that the thread is remote, but it does not tell me which remote machine the thread belongs to.

When several machines are configured, I have to inspect or open a thread to determine its execution environment. I would like to identify the associated machine instantly while scanning my threads.

Proposed solution

Add a machine appearance or identity setting for every configured machine.

In Settings, users should be able to choose an icon for each machine. The selected icon should then appear anywhere that machine is represented, especially beside associated threads in the thread list, instead of using the same generic desktop icon for every remote environment.

A simple first version could provide a built-in set of recognizable device icons or symbols. The important behavior is that different machines can be assigned visibly different icons and that the mapping persists.

Example:

• Personal desktop: desktop-tower icon
• Laptop: laptop icon
• Home server: server icon
• Cloud development box: cloud icon

The machine name should remain available through text or a tooltip so the icon supplements rather than replaces an accessible label.

Why this matters

The current icon only distinguishes local threads from remote threads. It does not help users distinguish one remote machine from another.

Per-machine icons would make the thread list much faster to scan, reduce accidental work in the wrong environment, and become increasingly valuable as users connect more machines.

Smallest useful scope

• Add an icon selector to each machine's settings.
• Persist the selected icon with that machine's configuration.
• Show that icon beside threads associated with the machine.
• Fall back to the existing generic desktop icon when no custom icon has been selected.

Alternatives considered

Displaying only the machine name would help, but it would add more visual clutter and would be slower to scan than a consistent icon. Color alone would also be less accessible and less descriptive.

Risks or tradeoffs

Custom uploaded images could add storage, synchronization, and rendering complexity. A curated built-in icon set would be enough for the initial implementation.

Examples or references

No response

Contribution

• I would be open to helping implement this.