This reminds me of the point of this article: http://www.rbguy.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/11/791270/-Sometimes-They-Even-Talk-Alike (Despite the url, it's not an explicitly political article and I'm not pushing politics here) "In 2008, the Toyota Prius was the best selling gas-electric hybrid car in the world. In Japan, it was frequently at the top of the list of bestselling cars overall. In 2009, Honda introduced their new hybrid model, which looked... a lot like the Toyota Prius. The reason for this wasn't some plot among Honda designers to confuse their product with the Toyota. It was merely a case of form following function. Both automakers were trying to craft a vehicle that maximized available interior space, and provided the best gas mileage possible. To reach that second goal, they needed to minimize the drag caused by air flowing over the car. The result was two vehicles that, if not identical, could pass for siblings.
The same rules hold true in many areas of commerce. An Apple iPhone looks a lot like a HTC Touch looks a lot like a Blackberry Storm, because all of them are trying to give their users the largest area of screen possible while keeping the shape and size of the device suitable for the average pocket. From bicycles to washing machines, there are few pieces of technology that really stand out from the crowd. Chances are that two items designed for the same task will have very similar forms." It then extends the description into evolutionary biology: "The reason that Ichthyosaurs look much like dolphins is because both are performing the same role in a similar environment. Both are predators that hunt their prey in the ocean. The large eyes come because sea water is clear and sight is an important aspect of tracking and capturing fast-moving fish in shallow water (those few species of dolphins that live in the muddy waters of rivers are either nearly or completely blind). The long snout filled with banks of sharp, narrow teeth is an excellent mechanism for catching fish. Most of all, both had the same major problem — moving quickly and efficiently through water. " And so on... Wall of text brought to you by realization that I could sometimes contribute something besides being snarky! Cheers, Scott On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 4:02 AM, Chris Grayson <[email protected]> wrote: > Well, generally speaking, all cars have four wheels on the ground, and > the driver sits in a chair with a steering wheel -- same user > interface. But you won't confuse a Corvette for a dump-truck. There > is a lot that can be done with design, even with a near identical IA. > > > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > Posted from the new ixda.org > http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=46649 > > > ________________________________________________________________ > 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 > -- "You always have the carny connection." - Clair High ________________________________________________________________ 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
