Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

GIMP 2.2 Splash Screen Contest Revisited

Posted by samzenpus on from the artist dept.

As reported here earlier, the GIMP team asked artists to submit their artwork to be used as the official splash screen for GIMP 2.2. The reaction was overwhelming. More than 666 splash screens have been submitted. You can look at the submissions in the gallery or download the movies, grab some popcorn and enjoy... Once you've seen all splashes, you may want to help the judges to pick the best splash by voting for your favorites.

9 of 382 comments (clear)

  1. Who needs splash screens anyway? by DoktorTomoe · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Splash screens suck. No, they really suck. They use ressources and are pulling down usability of the system in general when an application is loading. Some splashscreens are even always on top, rendering the system useless until the application is loaded (OpenOffice.org is my scapegoat here :). Where is multitasking here?

    Personally, I really would prefer some status indicator in the users menu or in some kind of applet (KDE already does that, blinking mouse cursors and similar), but please, PLEASE do not use splash screens.

    --
    Screw the FSM - Real geeks believe in the Invisible Pink Unicorn
    1. Re:Who needs splash screens anyway? by tunah · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Splash screens are irritating, but in most cases a long delay with no splash screen is worse.

      --
      Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
    2. Re:Who needs splash screens anyway? by GauteL · · Score: 3, Insightful

      While some splash screens are a waste of resources, a simple splash screen is not.

      If an application takes more than a few seconds to start, the simple fact is that many, many users will click on the icon again, starting two instances of the program.

      Slight visual feedback is very often not enough.

      If a splash screen is done properly, there is no reason to hate it as much. It should behave like other windows and there should be an "--no-splash" option, which Gimp already has.

  2. Sorted results by popularity are now available. by vasqzr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sorted results by popularity are now available.

    Is that a good way to do it?

    "You might as well not bother voting for your favorite, since it only has 13 votes."

  3. Re:what really matters by GauteL · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What a troll this post is. Adding a different splash screen is almost zero effort from the programmer and this kind of competition is just made for two purposes:

    1) Promote Gimp and get publicity
    2) Make the non-programming community feel involved, by letting them make a splash screen.

    What is so freaking wrong about this? 16-bit support will come eventually, but could be really hard work that none of the volunteers that make it, have gotten around to yet.

  4. So many by northcat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So many posts criticising the use of the number 666... Looks like noone on slashdot has a sense of humour. The only acceptable jokes are old, unoriginal, non-innovative, stereotypical ones like "netcraft confirms it" and "in korea only old people...".

  5. Change the Name! by thrills33ker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is just retarded. Do the GIMP developers actually want their software to gain wider acceptance? It does not need a new splash screen, it needs a NEW NAME! Imagine trying to get someone to try the GIMP:

    User: Can you get me a copy of Photoshop?
    Advocate: No, but I can give you a copy of The GIMP, its a free alternative to Photoshop, and its really good!
    User: The GIMP? What kind of a name is that? I'll get hold of Photoshop thanks!

    I mean come on, GIMP developers - we all know its a great piece of software but you have to admit that marketing matters. Look at FilmGIMP - they changed their name to CinePaint. Why? "This change will present a more professional name", it says on their site.

    The GIMP team would be much better off holding a new name contest than a splash screen contest.

    1. Re:Change the Name! by Mornelithe · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You know what else is retarded?

      The fact that in every single story even remotely related to The Gimp, there is always at least one comment by some dude who's freaking out about the name of The Gimp, and a whole slew of posts about how The Gimp's interface is dog shit compared to the all hallowed Photoshop (ignoring the fact that The Gimp looks closer to Mac Photoshop than Windows Photoshop does, yet no one complains about Mac Photoshop's interface). And they're always modded insightful and interesting, instead of '-1: We've heard this 10,000 times already and you really have nothing new to say on the subject,' like they should be.

      --

      I've come for the woman, and your head.

  6. Re:what really matters by julesh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Actually, I think the reason for a contest for designing the splash screen was so that the programmers didn't have to spend their time designing one.