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Fun read. However, if the suggestion is that we force ourselves to constantly update iconography because the metaphors are outdated, I don't agree. Sailors stil

by gdubs 15y ago

Fun read. However, if the suggestion is that we force ourselves to constantly update iconography because the metaphors are outdated, I don't agree. Sailors still say "knots", but I bet young ones don't all know why. People say "breadboard" all of the time when building electronics. Similarly, the very letters of our language evolved out of symbols that meant something to some humans long ago, just as words have an etymology. People simply start to associate icon with action. Mail on my Mac is represented by a postage stamp. I never realized that until I just analyzed it. Good icons are subconscious like that.

jack-r-abbit 15y ago
For us young ones: How do sea navigators measure their ships speed? http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae400.cfm http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae400.cfm
- philwelch 15y ago
  That's interesting. I just assumed it was a sound-alike for "nautical miles per hour", spelled "knots" instead of "nauts" for some arbitrary reason.
- benholmen 15y ago
  Another interesting word is 'log' which we use daily in a digital sense but it has a very physical nautical origin: log: "from log (n.1) which is so called because a wooden float at the end of a line was cast out to measure a ship's speed. General sense by 1913." Source: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=log&allowed_in_frame=0 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=log&allowed_in_...
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guynamedloren 15y ago
> Mail on my Mac is represented by a postage stamp. I never realized that until I just analyzed it. Good icons are subconscious like that. Honestly? I don't believe you. The postage stamp is in no way subtle - in fact, it couldn't be more obvious.
- TazeTSchnitzel 15y ago
  Perhaps to you. But a lot of icons you never really look carefully at and realise what they are. They are merely coloured shapes which you use to interact.

by gdubs 15y ago

jack-r-abbit 15y ago

For us young ones: How do sea navigators measure their ships speed? http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae400.cfm http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae400.cfm

philwelch 15y ago
That's interesting. I just assumed it was a sound-alike for "nautical miles per hour", spelled "knots" instead of "nauts" for some arbitrary reason.
benholmen 15y ago
Another interesting word is 'log' which we use daily in a digital sense but it has a very physical nautical origin: log: "from log (n.1) which is so called because a wooden float at the end of a line was cast out to measure a ship's speed. General sense by 1913." Source: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=log&allowed_in_frame=0 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=log&allowed_in_...

deleted 15y ago

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guynamedloren 15y ago

> Mail on my Mac is represented by a postage stamp. I never realized that until I just analyzed it. Good icons are subconscious like that. Honestly? I don't believe you. The postage stamp is in no way subtle - in fact, it couldn't be more obvious.

TazeTSchnitzel 15y ago
Perhaps to you. But a lot of icons you never really look carefully at and realise what they are. They are merely coloured shapes which you use to interact.