Critique Wall.com

Icons, like cars and refrigerators, have planned obsolescence.

It is interesting that the need to create visual stimulus for new product desire outweighs the value of the existing user knowledge and recognition of previous icons.

In the short-run, the change from one icon set to another for the same activities hampers usability because users cannot quickly transition to associating new icons with the products they use in their everyday workflow.

Do you remember the transition to Adobe's CS icons? It was a radical departure from the previously learned icon system. Where did Venus go? Quick, switch to Illustrator! Is Illustrator the conch shell, flower, or butterfly?

Is this irritation during worflow valued less than the marketing benefit gained? How does this impact brand. Does a new visual identity signify a growing healthy brand? Or does it waste investment in brand recognition? At least the old icons don't take up too much space in landfills.

Docks and Start Menus Have New Friends in 2007

Users of Adobe and Microsoft products are poised to learn new icon sets if they upgrade this year.

• Adobe's collection of icons looks like all the squares from the periodic table got off the wall to play scrabble. See the Adobe Icons for your self in this cool animation.
• Vista now has the ability to support much larger icons -- up to 256x256. What do you think of them?
• Microsoft Office 2007 has new icons too.

I admit, I enjoy fresh icons, but I miss Venus.