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 "page": "https://notionparallax.co.uk/2009/apropriate-iconography",
 "author": {
  "name": "Ben Doherty",
  "url": "https://notionparallax.co.uk/"
 },
 "created": "2009-02-25T16:16:32Z",
 "updated": "2009-02-25T16:16:32Z",
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 "content_md": "# appropriate iconography\n\n\n<p><img src=\"https://notionparallax.co.uk/assets/save-256x256.png\" alt=\"shamelessly stolen from http://www.iconarchive.com/show/toolbar-icons-by-ruby-software/save-icon.html\" width=\"256\" align=\"right\" />Due to some peculiarities in how GC handles it's saves I had to explain to someone the other day that they needed to click on the icon with the floppy disk on it.</p>\n<p>In a crushing moment of feeling old, I realised that it was only fluke that they knew what a floppy disk looked like. It'd be like someone telling me that I needed to look for the 8Track, I know what it is, but i have no idea what it looks like!It just set me wondering if this whole thing has taken on a life of it's own like letter forms going from pictograms into Assyrian (there's great diagram on p112 of David Crystal's excellent book - How Language Works) .</p>\n<p>Are we going to have a generation, lets say today's 10 year olds, coming through in a few years that know exactly what a save icon looks like, but no idea what it depicts, it's just the symbol for save?</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://notionparallax.co.uk/assets/bigfolder.png\" alt=\"shamelessly stolen from http://www.nitrodesign.com/designforlife/?p=20\" width=\"256\" align=\"left\" />I had a  quick look around, and I found an alternative icon for save, but as floppies disappear from our collective conscience, perhaps too will manilla folders.</p>\n<p>Is it necessary for the images depicted in icons to remain contemporary, or is it sufficient that the icon's intention remains intact, and the meaning can become obsolete?</p>\n<p><a title=\"Save_Icon by notionparallax, on Flickr\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/95698107@N00/3568958652/\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://notionparallax.co.uk/assets/3568958652_4ac70ce408_t.jpg\" alt=\"Save_Icon\" width=\"77\" height=\"100\" /></a>**Update**</p>\n<p>John sent me this scanned article from about the same time as I wrote this. It says more or less the same as I did. John, if you can remember where it came from then let me know.</p>\n",
 "content_html": "<h1>appropriate iconography</h1>\n<p><img src=\"https://notionparallax.co.uk/assets/save-256x256.png\" alt=\"shamelessly stolen from http://www.iconarchive.com/show/toolbar-icons-by-ruby-software/save-icon.html\" width=\"256\" align=\"right\" />Due to some peculiarities in how GC handles it’s saves I had to explain to someone the other day that they needed to click on the icon with the floppy disk on it.</p>\n<p>In a crushing moment of feeling old, I realised that it was only fluke that they knew what a floppy disk looked like. It’d be like someone telling me that I needed to look for the 8Track, I know what it is, but i have no idea what it looks like!It just set me wondering if this whole thing has taken on a life of it’s own like letter forms going from pictograms into Assyrian (there’s great diagram on p112 of David Crystal’s excellent book - How Language Works) .</p>\n<p>Are we going to have a generation, lets say today’s 10 year olds, coming through in a few years that know exactly what a save icon looks like, but no idea what it depicts, it’s just the symbol for save?</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://notionparallax.co.uk/assets/bigfolder.png\" alt=\"shamelessly stolen from http://www.nitrodesign.com/designforlife/?p=20\" width=\"256\" align=\"left\" />I had a  quick look around, and I found an alternative icon for save, but as floppies disappear from our collective conscience, perhaps too will manilla folders.</p>\n<p>Is it necessary for the images depicted in icons to remain contemporary, or is it sufficient that the icon’s intention remains intact, and the meaning can become obsolete?</p>\n<p><a title=\"Save_Icon by notionparallax, on Flickr\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/95698107@N00/3568958652/\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https://notionparallax.co.uk/assets/3568958652_4ac70ce408_t.jpg\" alt=\"Save_Icon\" width=\"77\" height=\"100\" /></a><strong>Update</strong></p>\n<p>John sent me this scanned article from about the same time as I wrote this. It says more or less the same as I did. John, if you can remember where it came from then let me know.</p>\n",
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