[Usability] Re: close icon is misleading

["Maxwell Terpstra" <terpstra myrealbox com>]

--From: Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>
> The main issue right now is that there are loads of
> buttons in dialogs that don't have icons ...
> IIRC it's also a bit of extra effort to make the
> icons on 'custom' buttons themable

Why are those so many different buttons in the first place?  Why are custom buttons even allowed?  It seems to me, there should be a standard set of buttons that do standard things, and if you want to do something else, you shouldn't use a button (for example, to chose how to handle a cookie, show a radio list of options, plus a standard "ok" button).
By making a limited set of standardized buttons, you're not only solving the problem of unknown buttons without an icon, but, in my view, providing a more consistant interface which is easier to use.
Can anyone give me an example of a situation that NEEDS to have a non-standard button? And if the cases are so few, couldn't these uses be standardized as well?

--From: Dan Zlotnikov <dzlotnik perpugilliam csclub uwaterloo ca>
> That advantage [of using icons] breaks down
> spectacularly when inappropriate icons are selected

which is why it should be a concern of the HIG..

> ... or a complex concept must be presented. Care to
> come up with an icon for "create new template"?

Most of the time, complex actions like this are not handled by a dialogue, but rather by a command structure in the program itself (ie. your example does not really apply, because - taking MS Word as an example - it would be an option in the "File" menu of the program).  In all other cases of which I am aware, the complex action can and should be split into simplier components, which in the end include a simple, standardized button.

> the problem of finding an appropriate icon, one that
> will be appropriate to *all* levels of technical
> expertise, as well as *all* cultures and social
> context is far from trivial

You're absolutely right. It's something that will take a lot of time and consideration to put together, but I think it's well worth the effort.

--From: Rodney Dawes <dobey free fr>
> Perhaps images should be "translated" also. Then we
> would have different versions of images, for
> different languages, and the proper metaphors and
> contexts could be used

..and with a standard button set this would be trivial to do via theming.

--Maxwell Terpstra