[Usability] Re: close icon is misleading

["Maxwell Terpstra" <terpstra myrealbox com>]

I strongly believe that removing the icon entirely is a step in the wrong direction. Icons are generally interpreted much faster and more fully than text, and thus make dialogues much easier to use.
The problem is finding an appropriate icon that will be interpreted correctly. Because icons are recognized faster than text, their meaning often governs, and may even override the meaning of accompianing text, rather than the other way around.
The text is fine as it is. It's the icon that's the problem - it's being interpreted as "kill" or "delete," rather than simply "I'm done with you."

From: Vidar Braut Haarr <vidar coretrek no>
> ...the button for closing the settings dialog should
> say 'Close', but the icon could resemble an handle
> or - perhaps - an entire door.

I think this is an excellent idea. Haven't we seen the door icon used like this somewhere before? (old mac os?)

From: Dan Zlotnikov <dzlotnik perpugilliam csclub uwaterloo ca>
> I recommend text, something simple like "Keep
> Changes & Close" and "Discard Changes & Close."

This may be appropriate when no icons are used, but should be unnecessary otherwise.

-- Maxwell Terpstra