I like the new icon, but...

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DanZac
Knows everything, can prove it
Posts: 148
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:45 pm

I like the new icon, but...

Post by DanZac »

Obviously this is a totally minor issue. I've liked the iOS icon since it came out, so I was happy to see the updated icon on the Mac. BUT, it isn't great design to just lift the squared icon with rounded edges from iOS to Mac. In fact, it is the only icon like this in my dock.

The icon is great, but remove the shadow and square behind it so that it's just the typewriter icon :-)
o0Mellel0o
Got the auto-title mojo working
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:23 pm

Re: I like the new icon, but...

Post by o0Mellel0o »

I did not notice and I do not look at the icons in Dock long enough typically but at other times I appreciate the organization and uniformity of things.

I opened the application package to expose its contents. I opened Mellelicon.icns in Preview and saved it as a PNG. I opened the PNG in Photoshop. There, I used the Magic Wand and selected the background and the shadow. I switched to Inverse then selected Cut. I created a new document with a transparent background. I pasted the Typewriter into a transparent document.

NOTE: when you open the Mellelicon.icns file in Preview you see an array of sizes. I do not know which is the one the system uses for the Dock icon. I chose the largest one which is quite large. Just note all of the sizes and save a version of the transparent file in each size using the same name. I always work creating every project in its special project folder. Make backup copies of the originals. Copy and paste the transparent versions into the application resources folder.

This is the idea, I only went as far as creating a transparent version. That was simple. I have not gone so far as to replace the icon in my Dock. I do not know whether you have permission or whether the application package allows you to copy & paste into it.

In general if you can alter the package contents this is a simple process if you want to change the application icon used in Dock.
Eyal Redler
Co-founder
Posts: 692
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:15 am

Re: I like the new icon, but...

Post by Eyal Redler »

I want to give you the justification for using the background on the icon. We opted to use a background on the icon because we believe this is the direction apple is going with the next version of macOS (Big Sur). The icons are going to be very similar to the icons on iOS (https://www.apple.com/macos/big-sur-preview/)
Big Sur is expected to be released in the fall, we wanted to avoid a situation whereby our new icon will become obsolete so soon after we changed it so we opted to release this ahead of Apple.
Eyal Redler
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Moises Zumaeta
Got the styles thing figured out
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:31 am

Re: I like the new icon, but...

Post by Moises Zumaeta »

I will have to disagree with DanZac and go with the Redler's on this. I am thankful for the new icon. It is appealing to the eye and a big improvement in color and shape to the former icon. As Eyal pointed out, the background color and the rounded edges is in line with the next upgrade of Apple's operating system—Big Sur. I believe this is a move in the right direction, for anyone who upgrades to Big Sur will be thankful that most of the icons are uniform. Esthetically, it would be an eyesore to have mellel's icon without the rounded edges when everything else has these features.
Amontillado
Knows everything, can prove it
Posts: 148
Joined: Fri May 04, 2018 4:00 am

Re: I like the new icon, but...

Post by Amontillado »

Without wanting to distract from the fondness we all feel for our loved ones and icons, is there a larger picture?

At this writing the feng shui of typewriters with shadows is a matter of multinational discussion.

But what if, and I"m not trying to encourage wild speculation or conspiracy theories, it's not a typewriter?

What if it's really a stenotype?

Everything changes. I don't know where we would stand.

:mrgreen:
DanZac
Knows everything, can prove it
Posts: 148
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:45 pm

Re: I like the new icon, but...

Post by DanZac »

Thanks Eyal. Your decision makes total sense – thanks for the explanation :-)
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