No doubt you’ve all seen the “Computer” icon in Windows Vista. Some of you might have even clicked on it and few of you probably have a shortcut on your desktop. But has it ever occurred to you it’s facing the wrong direction, away from you? At least one guy did, and this is just one of the minor details under scrutiny at the Windows UX Taskforce that is particularly fascinating.The problem is, by default, Windows displays icons from left to right. Assuming the user sits in the middle of the monitor, the icons should in fact face right towards you and not the edge of the monitor. The only icon in Vista off the top of my head which does this correctly are the “folders” icon which open up towards the right. This actually conflicts with the official user experience guidelines suggesting the perspective of icons face left.
If this isn’t weird enough, the Windows XP’s icons and even conceptual Vista icons designed by Iconfactory faced the right (pun) way. For some unknown reason, Microsoft designers decided to flip them. Mac OSX icons face directly at you - probably the best solution.
Link: istartedsomething
For example: 'kilobytes' denoted 'KB'? It should be 'kB'.
Another similar mistake: System Information reads CPU speed as 'Mhz'. This is incorrect, and should read 'MHz'.
Furthermore, some parts of the OS and MS application suites say 'website', while others stick to 'Web site'.
In terms of icons, there are also instances of smaller, scaled versions of the icons being "cut" prematurely. Just look at the Calculator icon in XP (Start Menu).
I could go on...
As for Vista, we all know the whole icon package is a bit of a joke. It's a mish-mash of new Vista icons, older XP icons, and archaic pre-XP icons.
Last edited by Turbonium on 23 Jun 2008 - 09:46
IF (N > 0) then case = Upper
IF (N < 0) then case = Lower
T (Tera) = 10^12
G (Giga) = 10^9
M (Mega) = 10^6
K (Kilo) = 10^3
------
m (milli) = 10^-3
µ (micro) = 10^-6
n (nano) = 10^-9
p (pico) = 10^-12
*looks at his System info window in Vista*
Nope, that definitely says GHz.
*looks at his System info window in Vista*
Nope, that definitely says GHz.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/pho...ink_again-1.gif
Unless it's reading that directly off the chip or mobo somehow, it's Microsoft's fault.
*looks at his System info window in Vista*
Nope, that definitely says GHz.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/pho...ink_again-1.gif
Unless it's reading that directly off the chip or mobo somehow, it's Microsoft's fault.
It's reading it off the CPU.
*looks at his System info window in Vista*
Nope, that definitely says GHz.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/pho...ink_again-1.gif
Unless it's reading that directly off the chip or mobo somehow, it's Microsoft's fault.
It's reading it off the CPU.
LOL
That's just sad...
Please, never become a UI designer. Ever.
And since when does Neowin post 100% "newsworthy" news?
And yet you spent the time to read and then comment on this news article that you dont give a "fark" about.
If you can't be bothered getting the small things right, how can we as users expect you to get the big things right?
Think I worded that badly. Basically the facing to the left is far less "in your face" IMHO.
Anyway the folder icons to me have the same orientation anyway. The focus of those isnt so much the folder itself but the contents being displayed IN the folders which like the other icons is angled to the left and thus IMHO is consistent.
Last edited by Smigit on 23 Jun 2008 - 10:14
You know such minor things all add up together to build a sense of aesthetic and they are all functional in terms of building a metaphor you can understand.
So unless you're a mutated super hero or something, this is the topic of an actual, serious discipline.
You may find it inconsequential, but even little things have a surprising amount of impact on how people receive and interpret information.
^That's just sarcasm. Who gives a flying **** which direction the icons are facing? That one guy noticed it, big ****ing deal.
The only thing wrong with Vista in my opinion is Microsoft.
I actually like the direction the vista icons are facing.
Right or left, the icons are the same angle away from the centre middle.
Right or left, the icons are the same angle away from the centre middle.
What he meant by away or toward is the fact that most people have their desktop icons on the left side of the screen (from the article). Since they're on the left side, if they're also facing left you get a sense that they are facing "away" from you rather than if they were facing to the right.
Isn't as if the Y2K bug is going to occur just because an icon is facing 'the wrong way'.
Also, grab a dictionary and check up on the word "fascinating".
Also, this was news 10 days ago. As usual, Neowin "newshounds" are on the late show.
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.