Re: [Usability] Ellipsis on buttons

[Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>]

On Thu, 2006-03-23 at 20:20 +0000, Joachim Noreiko wrote:
> --- Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org> wrote:
> > The Help button is a perfect example.  Because Apple
> > uses the single ? icon very effectively, they can
> > put
> > it almost anywhere in an interface.  
> 
> Is ? a universally understood symbol?
> I quite like the GNOME lifebuoy.

It's used prominently on the Mac, so Mac users will quickly
ascertain its meaning, if it's not obvious at first glance.
We also use the life buoy frequently and consistently, so
I do think it can stand on its own just fine.

>From a first-impression standpoint, my guess is that the
question mark icon is more obvious than the life buoy.
But then, for long-term use, that's not as important as
one might think.  When was the last time any of us used
a floppy disk?  But we all know that old Save icon.

The Tango folks are experimenting with using a question
mark icon for Help.  I'm fond of the life buoy icon as
well.  I have a sort of nostalgic attachment to it.  In
the end, though, I think the most important thing is that
we have a single Help icon metaphor, and not just inside
GNOME.  So if the whole free world decides they like the
question mark better, then I'm on-board.

--
Shaun