RE: [tdf-discuss] Can we replace "Floppy Disk"

I agree that the floppy symbol is well-understood as the Save icon.

 - Dennis

SOME MUSINGS

I use a text editor (jEdit) that has a different Save icon.  It is a curved downward arrow to what 
looks like a brick but which I now realize is a rectangular disk drive.  (I use the small icon set 
on my setup.)

The peculiarity is that the Open symbol is a file folder with a document sticking out of it.  If 
that had an up-arrow on the document, and the Save had a down-arrow on the document, the 
combination would make more sense.

However, the use of the folder con is also tied to the fact that there is a dialog involved (e.g., 
the into-folder case might be confused with Save As ...).

This appears to be an over-constrained problem.

-----Original Message-----
From: M Henri Day [mailto:mhenriday@gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 11:56
To: discuss@documentfoundation.org
Subject: Re: [tdf-discuss] Can we replace "Floppy Disk"

2011/12/28 Robert Derman <robert.derman@pressenter.com>

> Olav Dahlum wrote:
>
> > On 28/12/11 20:05, Danishka Navin wrote:
> >
> >
> > > As you all know the floppy disc is some thing out dated in the modern
> > > computer world.
> >
> > I'm afraid it's not the case, a lot of people use them, and especially
> > in governmental institutions.
> >
> >
> >
> > > Why we still continue the "Floppy Disk" as the icon for "Save" button in
> > > LibreOffice?
> >
> > Anyway, this could be replaced by a more generic computer/down arrow
> > button to reflect the different media better.
> The trouble is, most people would not recognize this, and there is of
> course the limitation that icons must be fairly simple in form.  Also I am
> not sure that an icon of an optical disk, which would be much more valid
> today would be as easily recognized.  Actually in nearly every case the
> document is being saved on a hard drive, but that would be much more
> difficult to represent as a simple icon.  I remember MS tried this in
> Win-95, and it ended up looking more like a drum and drumstick.  As long as
> we all recognize the floppy as a floppy, it really doesn't matter that much
> that it is archaic.

What people recognise and what they recognise it as is a vexed issue ; my
experience in teaching retirees to use computers here in Stockholm is that
when I point to the floppy-disk icon and ask what it represents, the most
frequent reply I receive is «an old-fashioned TV». But I agree, replacing
this well-established icon with a new one would probably give rise to more
confusion than enlightenment....

Henri

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