Re: [Usability] Save Icon

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006, Shaun McCance wrote:

> Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:21:23 -0600
> From: Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>
> To: Evandro Fernandes Giovanini <efgiovanini gmail com>
> Cc: usability gnome org
> Subject: Re: [Usability] Save Icon
>
> On Sun, 2006-01-29 at 04:49 -0200, Evandro Fernandes Giovanini wrote:
> > Em Dom, 2006-01-29 às 13:58 +1300, Matthew Paul Thomas escreveu:
> > > On 29 Jan, 2006, at 3:25 AM, Steven Garrity wrote:
> > > > ...
> > > > 6) "We shouldn't have to save at all." Probably/maybe. Doesn't mean we
> > > > should try to find a better icon in the meantime.
> > > > ...
> > >
> > > (7) Those programs that still have manual saving shouldn't need an icon
> > > for Save anyway, since it's not nearly important enough to include in a
> > > toolbar.
> > >
> >
> > I completely agree. IMO:
> >
> > 1) menus shouldn't have icons.
>
> I completely disagree.  Icons in menus reinforce the
> connection between the action and the icon.  It helps
> you learn the icon, so you can use the icon in the
> toolbar effectively.

I agree with Shaun here.

There are some small difficulties showing both icons and also having radio
or checked menu items at the same time but for the most part icons provide
and extra clue and help users to correlate the toolbar items with the
corresponding menu items.

I also want to point out that this would be a theme issue.  Developers
must be very careful to avoid making application specific changes and
making things even more inconsistent.

-- Alan Horakn