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There's a good article to be written on this subject, but this isn't it. "folders": we can go back to "directories" if you'd like. It's still what I say most o
by acheron 15y ago
There's a good article to be written on this subject, but this isn't it.
"folders": we can go back to "directories" if you'd like. It's still what I say most of the time.
"wrenches/screwdrivers/gears": This was the most baffling one. Who's never used a screwdriver? And he says it as if it's obvious.
"phone": 75% of the US still has a landline (as of a year ago anyway), so I find "you haven't used this in 20 years" to be a rather dumb statement too.
"tv antenna": Antennas have actually come back recently when broadcast stations switched to digital and HD feeds. This would have been a better criticism ten years ago, and makes him the one that sounds out of date.
When I saw the article title, I figured "floppy disk" = "save". And sure, that's somewhat valid. But as others have pointed out, it's idiomatic. It happens in language all the time: people still say that someone is given "free rein" even if nobody involved has ever ridden a horse.
- DavidAbrams 15y agoAnd he missed the "film" icon for movies. I think about this one when I see the stylized movie-chain trailers in theaters: What percentage of the audience even knows what that strip is supposed to be?
- excuse-me 15y agoDo directors still say cut? Or do they now shout fclose() at the end of a scene? If it's a really good take - do they say that's "a burn to disk" - instead of a print?
- baddox 15y agoThe obvious response to all his critiques is that they're all idiomatic. Apple didn't choose a handset icon because everyone is familiar with those old handsets, they chose it because everyone will know that the icon means "telephone." Sure, it's fun to go back one more "etymology generation," but it's not necessary.
- bgilroy26 15y ago"phone" - The shape he's talking about is this one[1]. While the Wrench/Screwdriver etc. are in common use, the shape here is from the rotary phone, which is not in common use. The page I linked was literally the first google image result for me, and that top cluster of images includes many recognizeable clip-art phones, all with the same rotary phone shape. 1. http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/01/getting-the-interview-phone-screen-right.html http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/01/getting-the-intervi...
- r00fus 15y agoAt the last two offices I've worked at, the landline phone (VOIP Handset) looked like this :[1]. Not a whole lot different from the smartphone Phone app icon. https://www.google.com/search?q=cisco+handset&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=PzurT4W0C8meiALVyPybAg&ved=0CMkBELAE&biw=1745&bih=829 https://www.google.com/search?q=cisco+handset&hl=en&...
- MengYuanLong 15y agoThat isn't necessarily true. He doesn't specify rotary phones. Even if he did, like the folders and envelopes he also mentions, corded phones which look like the picture are still quite common in office places and thus many peoples lives outside of silicon valley.
- philwelch 15y agoThe Western Electric handset was still used for years after touchtone phones became commonplace: http://www.telecomwholesalecentral.com/catalog/2500%20WE.jpg http://www.telecomwholesalecentral.com/catalog/2500%20WE.jpg
- landhar 15y agoI agree, I was very surprised that he doesn't even mention the "hourglass". It's true that it's less and less frequent but I would argue that it's more common than the floppy disk.
- eropple 15y agoI chuckled when I read your post, because at TripAdvisor we have one in every meeting room. And they actually get used.
- shanselman 15y agoGood one, hourglass, pointer arrow and filmstrip were all obvious ones I missed.
- corin_ 15y agoWhile "hourglass" may not be a commonly known term, I would imagine plenty of young kids still recognize it thanks to boardgames that involve them. Well, I hope plenty of young kids play boardgames, anyway.
- JoeAltmaier 15y agowe dial a phone number as well - I haven't actually seen a dial phone in 20 years.