The Big Tussle Over a Tiny Orange Box

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Microsoft set off a storm of comments and feedback – both glowing and damning – this weekend when officials requested feedback on a proposed RSS icon redesign for the Internet Explorer (IE) 7.0 toolbar. Details about the planned RSS icon redesign emerged on the Microsoft RSS Team's Web log on Saturday.

"The choice of what icon to use is challenging because it should be universally symbolic, but today there is no single icon for that represents feed," according to a posting on the RSS Team blog site. "Instead there's a variety of mostly orange rectangles with the words 'XML', 'RSS', 'ATOM', 'FEED', or 'Subscribe.' … Our goal is to make sure that the icon is something that is understandable by all of our users: novice, advanced, developer, business, international, etc."

News source: Microsoft Watch

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(2 replies) #1 hotdog963al on 12 Oct 2005 - 16:50

Why can't they just keep standard one, having Text on a button saying what it is, is more clear than a strange star icon. How is the end user supposed to know what this shiney star means? If it said RSS on it, they would know what it is.

#1.1 El_Cu_Guy on 12 Oct 2005 - 17:03

What standard one? The article states that there really isn't a "standard" icon used the world over. Not all browsers use the same icon.

The Firefox icon is close, but it lacks the rectangular dimension (principle #2).

Number four looks better than number five and is probably one of the most recognizable.

Last edited by 40343 on 12 Oct 2005 - 19:57

#1.2 em_te on 12 Oct 2005 - 19:15

Why have "RSS" when you can have something more specific and descriptive? What we need is a button that says,

.

Last edited by 30836 on 12 Oct 2005 - 19:25

#2 teejaydm on 12 Oct 2005 - 17:21

If it ain't broke, DONT FIX IT!!!

(1 reply) #3 ExodusCrow on 12 Oct 2005 - 17:53

The thing most people aren't understanding, is this icon is for the IE7 toolbar. Similar to the back arrow, and refresh page icon. This is not to change the icon on sites from the "RSS" or "XML" text to the flashy new one. I think that is why there are so many damning comments on the RSS Teams Web log.

Those are my $0.02.

#3.1 El_Cu_Guy on 12 Oct 2005 - 19:56

You get a Gold Star for your excellent reading comprehension.

#4 RiddickRom on 12 Oct 2005 - 17:58

I propose we invent the RSS pig mascot. The logo would go like this, pig eating ipods in a troff, the troff says "RSS FEED" and is orange.

Ok, I'll get my coat

(1 reply) #5 Colin-uk on 12 Oct 2005 - 18:11

why not just an orange rectangle that says "rss feed" on it ?

#5.1 El_Cu_Guy on 12 Oct 2005 - 19:54

Yeah, and you'll have Atom supporters all up in arms. <-joke

#6 shmengie on 12 Oct 2005 - 18:24

this has to be the number 1 non-story of the year. anybody who knows what rss is won't be confused. you think grandma's out looking for knitting feeds? and then she's like, "oh my. that's the not rss button i'm used to. better call my grandson for help."

and seriously, is anybody really gonna say, "man, that rss icon sucks! they shoulda gone with the other one!" really...anybody?

#7 Ianmac45 on 12 Oct 2005 - 18:33

looks like firefox's

(2 replies) #8 Ryster092 on 12 Oct 2005 - 18:37

Why wont you people (including the author of the news item) learn from the last "storm in a teacup" and actually comprehend what Microsoft are trying to do? Instead of stirring things and trying to start a big flame debate that is unwarranted.

Microsoft ARE NOT trying to rename RSS.
Microsoft ARE NOT trying to change the RSS icon.
Microsoft ARE NOT trying to change RSS or anything to do with RSS in any way.

Microsoft ARE trying to create a single system that utilises ALL types of feed, not just RSS. RSS is only one of several types of feed used today. The icon therefore has to be generic enough to cover all feed types and not include any text.

#8.1 El_Cu_Guy on 12 Oct 2005 - 19:43

Perhaps you shouldn't fly off the handle and assume people believe one thing when there is no evidence to support it.

Microsoft ARE NOT trying to rename RSS.
It was proposed that the feature be renamed in MS software not the technology itself.

Microsoft ARE NOT trying to change the RSS icon.
No !@#$ Sherlock. The icon is for MS software ONLY, a specific mention of IE7 is in the article

Microsoft ARE NOT trying to change RSS or anything to do with RSS in any way.
DUH

QUOTE

Microsoft ARE trying to create a single system that utilises ALL types of feed, not just RSS.

Where the hell did you read that? It's friggin icon simlar to the one in Firefox and other browsers. Click on it and it says Subscribe to RSS/Atom. It's simply a matter of choosing an icon which users can readily identify and become aware that feeds are available without having to search throughout the site for a link.

#8.2 parithon on 14 Oct 2005 - 07:01

Where the hell did you read that?

You need to be a little less critical. From reading his post you should know that english might not be his native language.

However, you could assume that he could be talking about the way IE will "read" through a websites source to pick out "feeds". This could be the system he is talking about, which the icon would most definitely be apart of.

(1 reply) #9 Airlink on 13 Oct 2005 - 12:32

Microsoft: "It's my tiny orange box! Mine, mine, mine."
Firefox: "No, it's our orange box"
Opera: "No, no, it's not a box, it's a rounded square, and it's not orange, it's dusty tangerine"
Apple: "Don't you mean the Apple iBox?"