Suggest a replacement for the save/floppy disk icon

Lysander

Lysander

Lysander

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I noticed when making a post edit on this site that the save button is still a floppy disk. It's like that still on many pieces of software and many websites the world over.

Nobody uses floppy disks anymore apart from those intro retro-computing [weirdos]. And I think part of the reason why the icon is not replaced is because no-one can think of a suitable replacement.

I've seen, as alternatives, cloud icons used [but these are no good for saving locally], a life-saver ring [awkward] or a downward-facing arrow [which also isn't great].

So what replacements could we suggest?
 
It's just a symbol.

I guess you can use silicon chip with an arrow point into it with an arrow flashing suggesting it is being written.
 
Lysander said:
A lot of younger people have no idea what it is. I asked a work experience girl what she thought it was and she said a SIM card. It's completely irrelevant to today's userbase.
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As long as the symbol is consistent everywhere, does it matter?

If it's a different symbol everywhere then it makes it even more redundant than it is now.
 
Lysander said:
A lot of younger people have no idea what it is. I asked a work experience girl what she thought it was and she said a SIM card. It's completely irrelevant to today's userbase.
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It doesn't matter. Everyone knows what it does whether they know what inspired the design of not.
 
Raymond Lin said:
As long as the symbol is consistent everywhere, does it matter?

If it's a different symbol everywhere then it makes it even more redundant than it is now.
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It's not consistent. The disk icon on e.g. this website is very different to a disk icon for eg. Libre Office. You and I can recognise it as a floppy disk because we've both used them.
 
It's like the symbol for a telephone, who has one of those old analogue phones with the number rings that spins with the big handle?

We still know the symbol for a phone.
 
Raymond Lin said:
It's like the symbol for a telephone, who has one of those old analogue phones with the number rings that spins with the big handle?

We still know the symbol for a phone.
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The symbol for a phone is generally a handset, and landlines still exist and are used all over the place. I have one right next to me now.

Who uses a floppy disk with such regularity by comparison?
 
Lysander said:
It's not consistent. The disk icon on e.g. this website is very different to a disk icon for eg. Libre Office. You and I can recognise it as a floppy disk because we've both used them.
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So you want to make it even more inconsistent by trying to push a new symbol?

It's not about some people recognise it or not, when you try to introduce a new symbol, NOBODY will recognise it. As opposed to at least some people recognise a disc icon. See where i am getting at?

You are having to educate the ENTIRE world of a new symbol, and trying to push that everywhere, as opposed to some people this old symbol.
 
The answer/end call symbol on the iPhone is the handle from this old phone. Who still have one of these or last seen one of these? We don't need to replace the symbol.

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Thekwango said:
it also has the words 'Decline' or 'Accept' - so pretty obvious :p
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A lot of games just says "saving..." on screen, I guess we can do that.

I do like how the OP DELETED my suggestion of a symbol in his reply and latched on the much SHORTER answer to start this rabit hole of an argument! lol
 
Raymond Lin said:
A lot of games just says "saving..." on screen, I guess we can do that.

I do like how the OP DELETED my suggestion of a symbol in his reply and latched on the much SHORTER answer to start this rabit hole of an argument! lol
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Oh, sorry. I just thought it was ludicious how anyone could make a statement such as "it's just a symbol" when symbols have immense meaning and power. In fact, a lot of the time that's the entire point of them.

A silicone chip with an arrow isn't a bad suggestion though.
 
Lysander said:
Oh, sorry. I just thought it was ludicious how anyone could make a statement such as "it's just a symbol" when symbols have immense meaning and power. In fact, a lot of the time that's the entire point of them.

A silicone chip with an arrow isn't a bad suggestion though.
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It is just a symbol. The National Speed limit is a black line across a white circle. How does that suggest anything to do with speed? It also has different meaning dependent on the road you are on too, 60 or 70mph? The black line or the circle don't say anything about that.

You just learn these things once and you remember it.
 
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