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Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

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Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

#1

Post by acadapter »

People have been making efforts to remove or replace the usage of the floppy disk icon as the symbol for "Save", as floppy disks aren't in everyday usage anymore.

However, could efforts like these be considered a waste of time?

Consider the ampersand symbol "&", which is recognizable to many people who don't know the French word "et". The main reason is its continuity.

Should we, from a cultural perspective, recognize the value of continuity in cases like these, instead of chasing design trends, and keep the floppy disk symbol?

Re: Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

#4

Post by qolop »

I'm of the strong opinion, that we should use the actual word "Save" whenever the space constraints allow us to do so.

I've spent countless hours explaining to my grandparents that the dustbin icon actually means "delete", and if you want to share a picture, you press the button with the three node graph.

Re: Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

#6

Post by acadapter »

approxim8ion wrote: post #2

We should keep it. The benefit from switching is miniscule, and the value lost in continuity and recognizability is massive. I'm tired of designers chasing fads.

Imagine if those "designers" suddenly got interested in the Chinese language.

- "Hey, why is the character for 'sun' so boxy? The sun is round! Let's make the character a bit rounder! New Unicode position!"

- "Oh, but you forgot to remove the line in the middle, I need a new Unicode position for my variant!"

- "Wait! In my newly designed font, I just replaced the original one. What do I do with the two new Unicode characters? And should I keep the horizontal line in the middle?"

Re: Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

#7

Post by greenyoda »

approxim8ion wrote: post #2

We should keep it. The benefit from switching is miniscule, and the value lost in continuity and recognizability is massive. I'm tired of designers chasing fads.

I agree. Also, what modern icon could be used to replace the floppy disk that would be immediately recognizable as meaning "save this file"? And if it represents a currently-used device, like a USB thumb drive, how long before that one becomes obsolete? And would we end up with each product having a different icon?

Re: Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

#8

Post by greenyoda »

qolop wrote: post #4

I'm of the strong opinion, that we should use the actual word "Save" whenever the space constraints allow us to do so. I've spent countless hours explaining to my grandparents that the dustbin icon actually means "delete", and if you want to share a picture, you press the button with the three node graph.

Using a word like "Save" in place of an icon could be problematic when translating into another language in which it was a much longer word.

Re: Ask HN: Should we accept the “floppy disk icon” as the default save symbol?

#10

Post by gigglesupstairs »

greenyoda wrote: post #8
qolop wrote: post #4

I'm of the strong opinion, that we should use the actual word "Save" whenever the space constraints allow us to do so. I've spent countless hours explaining to my grandparents that the dustbin icon actually means "delete", and if you want to share a picture, you press the button with the three node graph.

Using a word like "Save" in place of an icon could be problematic when translating into another language in which it was a much longer word.

It happens all the time. It’s not a novel problem. And designers sometimes need to design keeping in mind the localization needs.
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