the floppy icon is a metaphor like the email inbox. I doubt many people who use email know it is a metaphor. The 'in box' has all but vanished.
To the point where I've considered not calling things that resemble a REAL in box in my applications an in box. In Pile, or various other names are better, as people no longer think in box when they see inbox. There is a lot to suggest that what an icon resembles isn't relevant. The consistency of everyone using a 3.5 floppy is a better option than changing it to something more obvious, because the picture only helps you learn what something means once or twice. Saving is so common, and the icon so ubiquitous that only a complete novice to computers doesn't know what the icon means. And those people will have a much harder time with the CONCEPT of saving, than the struggle with the icon. I do agree, however, that saving should go away. it is out dated and only hardened computer elites want the mechanic. A snapshot has been already mentioned in this thread, and that is a far better option than the saving mechanic. I'd also like to see the file system die. auto-save, proper document naming, and intelligent meta-data usage can fully replace both saving and the file system. If done right, no one will ever miss it. But so long as a save icon need exist, a 3.5 floppy it should remain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=40180 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
