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It's nice that these companies have come together to standardize their icons. I don't see the intrigue in this story, though. Can someone explain it to me? Is

It's nice that these companies have come together to standardize their icons. I don't see the intrigue in this story, though. Can someone explain it to me? Is it the iconography design? The "wow Japanese toilets are complicated!" reaction? People just upvoting anything that has to do with Japan?

Swizec 10y ago
It's not something you'd think needs standardizing. And yet here we are.
- ericdykstra 10y ago
  Different manufacturers have different iconography, because there is no need to standardize. This is true with microwaves, washing machines, ovens, etc. You buy a washing machine, learn how to use it, and then never think about it again. Public utilities standardize their iconography because many people use them. That's why every sign directing you to a restroom, or an exit, or a drinking fountain looks largely the same. Japanese bidets are alien to most foreigners, Japanese tourism is growing rapidly and will have a big spike in 2020, and since bidet toilets have basically become public utilities, the industry came together and created a standard. It just seems like a logical conclusion without any intrigue to me. Even sticking with the Tokyo Olympic theme, the stories about the hotel shortage, the mess with Tsukiji, and the conflicts about what to do with Golden Gai are far more interesting.
  - Swizec 10y ago
    > It just seems like a logical conclusion without any intrigue to me Dunno. Most buttons I've seen on a toilet was 1. Flush. The really fancy ones have a split button for "small flush" and "big flush". The thought that toilets are complex enough to even consider talking about standardization is, I think, completely alien to anyone outside Japan/Asia.
  - kalleboo 10y ago
    > Different manufacturers have different iconography, because there is no need to standardize. This is true with microwaves, washing machines, ovens, etc. You buy a washing machine, learn how to use it, and then never think about it again. Cars have standardized their dashboard iconography
  - koolba 10y ago
    What's in 2020? EDIT: Nevermind, figured it out. The 2020 Summer Olympics are in Tokyo.
vidarh 10y ago
It's the fact that this is alien to most of us, and so mildly amusing and interesting.

Swizec 10y ago

It's not something you'd think needs standardizing. And yet here we are.

ericdykstra 10y ago
Different manufacturers have different iconography, because there is no need to standardize. This is true with microwaves, washing machines, ovens, etc. You buy a washing machine, learn how to use it, and then never think about it again. Public utilities standardize their iconography because many people use them. That's why every sign directing you to a restroom, or an exit, or a drinking fountain looks largely the same. Japanese bidets are alien to most foreigners, Japanese tourism is growing rapidly and will have a big spike in 2020, and since bidet toilets have basically become public utilities, the industry came together and created a standard. It just seems like a logical conclusion without any intrigue to me. Even sticking with the Tokyo Olympic theme, the stories about the hotel shortage, the mess with Tsukiji, and the conflicts about what to do with Golden Gai are far more interesting.
- Swizec 10y ago
  > It just seems like a logical conclusion without any intrigue to me Dunno. Most buttons I've seen on a toilet was 1. Flush. The really fancy ones have a split button for "small flush" and "big flush". The thought that toilets are complex enough to even consider talking about standardization is, I think, completely alien to anyone outside Japan/Asia.
- kalleboo 10y ago
  > Different manufacturers have different iconography, because there is no need to standardize. This is true with microwaves, washing machines, ovens, etc. You buy a washing machine, learn how to use it, and then never think about it again. Cars have standardized their dashboard iconography
- koolba 10y ago
  What's in 2020? EDIT: Nevermind, figured it out. The 2020 Summer Olympics are in Tokyo.

vidarh 10y ago

It's the fact that this is alien to most of us, and so mildly amusing and interesting.