Paint.NET GUI Update is Necessary

[BinksTheSith]

I'm not trying to be negative, but Paint.NET looks really old. It needs a serious GUI update. Looking at Windows 11 and MacOS, Paint.NET looks like it's coming out of Windows 7. Now, I know a lot of photo editing programs don't look very pretty, but Paint.NET is simple enough to where modern-style GUI will totally work. It would just feel so great to open up Paint.NET one day to see it looking like it's from modern day. All I'm saying is that the GUI needs to be modernized, and that could be done so via the following examples:

- Rounded Corners
- Less Icons (Less, not none)
- A New Logo
- Less Outline Around Top Bar (Especially in Dark Mode)
- Child Windows Should Be Fitted into the Interface Better
- Transparency Effects on Child Windows

Can someone confirm that I'm not the only one that thinks this?

Edited December 17, 2022 by BinksTheSith

[toe_head2001]

8 minutes ago, BinksTheSith said:

- Less Outline Around Windows (Especially in Dark Mode)

 

What are you talking about? Where's the outline in this screenshot?

 

 

10 minutes ago, BinksTheSith said:

- Child Windows Should Be Fitted into the Interface Better

 

Better how?

 

10 minutes ago, BinksTheSith said:

- Transparency Effects on Child Windows

 

Child windows already use transparency.

 

[BinksTheSith]

I made a mistake when I said child windows, I met the top bar. As for the transparency effects, they should transparent (but blurred) all the time, not just when you aren't hovering over it. 

[Rick Brewster]

For every 1 person who says "it needs to be modernized 🍷🧀" there are 10 people who don't care and/or who get legitimately uncomfortable when I do things as simple as change the icons (seriously: the number of cranky, ridiculous comments when 4.1.6 was released with the icons revamp was ridiculous, but it was from a vocal but extremely tiny minority).

 

People generally like PDN's UI, and it works quite well. There's really no major problem here at the moment, other than some touchups here and there that could be done and which I have been doing over time. The most important thing for PDN is its functionality, not its flair. Prioritization is important, there's only so much I can do with the time available (24 hours per day, 52 weeks per year...). And this sort of thing is not a critical priority right now.

 

Also if you want rounded corners, just install Windows 11. 

[Rick Brewster]

I was hoping to add some Mica effects for 5.0 but I couldn’t quite get it figured out — hopefully for a 5.0.x update.

[CircleBox]

4 hours ago, Rick Brewster said:

10 people who don't care

 

Reporting in 😏

[Ego Eram Reputo]

If I haven't mentioned it before, the Help > About animation is gorgeous

[Tactilis]

11 hours ago, BinksTheSith said:

All I'm saying is that the GUI needs to be modernized, and that could be done so via the following examples:

- Rounded Corners
- Less Icons (Less, not none)
- A New Logo
- Less Outline Around Top Bar (Especially in Dark Mode)
- Child Windows Should Be Fitted into the Interface Better
- Transparency Effects on Child Windows

Although I wouldn't object to these changes being made, none of these things would make any difference to my use of Paint.NET.

I don't spend time just admiring the UI; I use the application.

I'm grateful for the continually evolving functionality of Paint.NET, coupled with the simplicity of its interface and the provision of keyboard shortcuts to control most of its features, which speeds up interaction with the app hugely.

UI 'modernization' in the manner proposed would not add anything to my use of Paint.NET.

 

[TrevorOutlaw]

18 hours ago, Rick Brewster said:

seriously: the number of cranky, ridiculous comments when 4.1.6 was released with the icons revamp was ridiculous, but it was from a vocal but extremely tiny minority

How well I remember that. PDN has really come a long way since the early days of 3.5 version and the interface is intuitive and simple for me.

 

I have tried Gimp and Krita and I keep coming back to PDN for the simplicity and ease of use.

[J_Bregochi]

My honest opinion is that it's perfect the way it is.

[A.a.ron]

i created this account just to tell you all to enjoy that fact that paint.net is completely FREE. it cant get any better than that my guy.

[Rick Brewster]

This thread doesn't really need to keep going, I'm gonna close it