TiLÂ (click to go to the thread, which probably has more interesting tidbits I missed).
Bonus:
These are my people.
Betting Iâve reblogged this before. Betting Iâll reblog it when it turns up again.
In addition to the print terminology stuff: the visual shorthand icons and ad graphics for something about writing are still often pen-nibs, fountain pens and typewritersâŚ
âŚwhile graphics of a monitor, keyboard and mouse remain visual shorthand for computingâŚ
âŚeven though most writers now use monitor / keyboard / mouse or even laptop / touchpad.
In addition, headers for âthis blog / website is about writingâ are often in one of the many imitation typewriter fonts complete with smudges, or just Courier.
The start and end call icons on most / all smartphones is still the handset of a classic desk telephone, and sometimes the open-app icon is a complete phone.
The term âhang upâ for âend the callâ refers to something even older - one of theseâŚ
And of course the Save icon is indeed a 3½ inch floppy disc.
Why it wasnât a 5Âź floppy is a mystery. The icon version is just as distinctive.
Also, why various OP updates never changed âSaveâ to the graphic of a CD / DVD or flash drive is another mystery, and nowadays a Save icon should probably be a cartoon cloud.
Graphics and terminology are funny things.
reblogging this again for EVEN MORE information.
Iâm mostly entertained by the guy who thinks you need to know that âcaseâ means âboxâ in French as though thatâs not what it means in English.
skeumorphism my beloved
Itâs fascinating. This post alternately made me feel old and taught me something. Tumblr is amazing.
And because we continue to use signs of ancient hardware, youngsters come up with questions like âwhy is the icon for âsaveâ a vending machine with a can of soda?â (One day Iâll find that post and link it)
The reason the save icon is a 3.5" floppy seems to mainly be that 3.5" disks were the most common disk by the time graphical interfaces got popular on PCs. Earlier stuff was more text based so they didnât have or need icons.
But there are always exceptions. Lotus 1-2-3 for windows uses 5.25" disks for the save and load icons!


























