Comment by enobrev | Hacker News Reader

Comment by enobrev | Hacker News Reader

I don't necessarily disagree with most points made here, but this has a close resemblance to the arguments so many seemed to have when gnome 3 was released because the "start button" (or "panels") was replaced. It's ok to miss it, especially if your parents' first computer was running Windows 95, but that doesn't mean the OS UX can't / shouldn't be improved. I personally consider the improvements significant.

Experimentation is important and only change is constant. That said, change for the sake of change is a real problem and adding design trends and ego to the mix can make for a lot of waste and annoyance.

Otherwise minor nits...

> What is the "Archive" icon even supposed to depict? The lower part of a printer, with a sheet of paper sticking out?

Storage Box. Seems obvious to me, but reasonable that it wouldn't be obvious to everyone. I probably wouldn't get it without the text, but I also accept that some concepts don't transfer to iconography easily.

> "Sweep" is most likely a broom - but would you be able to determine that without the text?

I can't imagine what else that would be.

Due to my age and work experience, I'm also familiar with archiving involving storing physical documents in cardboard boxes. My current job really is paper free and graduate employees joining will never deal with archive boxes.

Similarly, the icons on my mobile for making a call, answering a call and hanging up are all based on the shape of the handset for a corded phone.

The Save button icon in many applications is based on a 3.5" floppy disk.

I sometimes need to save data as a PDF, which in many cases involves "printing" to PDF. The icon is based on a paper printer, but the action I am using it for doesn't include any external device or paper.

This makes me wonder about what icons we could use in the future where so many actions are done via a touch interface on a phone/tablet. There are less physical objects involved in common actions. So the skeuomorphic approach to icons for buttons is becoming less valid over time especially for younger people.

> what icons we could use in the future

All icons will depict a smartphone. At least for the short remaining period until you just tell the AI what you want.

> that doesn't mean the OS UX can't / shouldn't be improved

Of course, OS UX can be improved. But not all changes qualify as "improvement". See some issues caused by flat UI here: https://uxcritique-blog.tumblr.com/

> I can't imagine what else that would be.

My first thought was that it looked like a vintage oil can, or a douche bulb.

BTW, Are "Archive", "Junk" and "Sweep" supposed to be verbs or nouns? And what does the arrow in-between "Junk" and "Sweep" do? Does it belong to "Junk" or with "Sweep" or neither?

My problem here is, rather, what does "Sweep" even mean? (I'm not an an Outlook user.) I can imagine some housekeeping or clean-up task, but there must be a more precise concept and wording for this, for sure.

Okay let's say you recognize it as a broom. What does "sweep" even mean for this context? Is there a separate dustpan button after? Why not just the trash iconography?

I had the same thought - sweep it under the rug? Hide this until it starts to smell?

>> "Sweep" is most likely a broom - but would you be able to determine that without the text?

>I can't imagine what else that would be.

It could be a hand holding a fencing foil. The scale of the various parts is wrong, but it's also wrong if you assume it's a broom.

Pedantically, it would have to be an epee, not a foil. The handguard on a foil is less curved.

> I can't imagine what else that would be.

If I saw that icon without the label, my immediate guess would be a paintbrush symbol, indicating either a paint tool or something to do with styles and colors. My second guess would probably be a bell, indicating alarm or sound settings.

I suppose I would eventually guess a broom, but not in the first 3 tries.

> I can't imagine what else that would be.

A hand bell.

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