# How long does the "save" icon have left? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2007, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615 "2007-08-06T13:32:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/41 "2007-08-07T14:15:44Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I’ve always thought it’s ridiculously archaic… a symbol depicting the [sort of camera](http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/images/2004/08/23/speed_camera_logo_66_66x49.jpg) that your grandfather might have used to take a family portrait with a sheet over his head! [/QUOTE] The speed camera signs here show a front view of a reasonably-contermporary camera, as it might be if it were taking a picture of you. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/42 "2007-08-07T14:24:43Z")
[QUOTE=racer72] For many years after auto companies switched from generators to alternators, General Motors cars still used idiot lights that said “generator”. The oldest GM car I owned that had a generator light was an 81 Monte Carlo. [/QUOTE] My fuel injected car has a carburettor light on the dash. ---
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/43 "2007-08-07T17:46:31Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] The speed camera signs here show a front view of a reasonably-contermporary camera, as it might be if it were taking a picture of you. [/QUOTE] [Swedish roadsign](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Trafiks%C3%A4kerhetskamera.svg/180px-Trafiks%C3%A4kerhetskamera.svg.png) for speedcamera or perhaps a rocket ship. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/44 "2007-08-07T18:35:35Z")
[QUOTE=Juggler] [Swedish roadsign](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Trafiks%C3%A4kerhetskamera.svg/180px-Trafiks%C3%A4kerhetskamera.svg.png) for speedcamera or perhaps a rocket ship. [/QUOTE] Or “Your mailbox is falling over”… ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/45 "2007-08-07T22:52:08Z")
[QUOTE=AHunter3] I’ve still got that little guy 🙂 [BootX Mod](http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19766) [/QUOTE] Neat. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/46 "2007-08-08T02:46:49Z")
The floppy disk will long outlast the telephone ring (as in a bell), which will die out in 5-10 years. I wonder why [this sign](http://street.safeshopper.com/233/1298.htm?335) has kids carrying books leather-belt style ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/47 "2007-08-08T07:40:22Z")
[QUOTE=Threadkiller] How long will it take Windows to change the ‘Please wait I’m thinking’ to something other than an hourglass? [/QUOTE] Vista (urgh, but it came with my laptop) has a little spinny blue circle like the one in the IE used for “Hang on I’m loading your page”. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/48 "2007-08-08T12:41:39Z")
[QUOTE=e-logic] It’s interesting that there are so many “icons” in everyday life - e.g. speed cameras and train warnings - that are clearly archaic, yet seem to serve their purpose perfectly. I wander what the deciding factor is - I’d never really considered the speed camera icon as archaic, but it is indeed a bizarre design for a digital imaging device! [/QUOTE] I’d say it’s because technology has moved away from mechanical devices with distinctive parts as distinguishing features towards slimline electronic objects with no moving parts. A ‘bellows’ type camera is quite unique in its look, while a modern camera looks like a a discreet high-tech box. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/49 "2007-08-08T15:00:35Z")
[QUOTE=Staggerlee] I’d say it’s because technology has moved away from mechanical devices with distinctive parts as distinguishing features towards slimline electronic objects with no moving parts. A ‘bellows’ type camera is quite unique in its look, while a modern camera looks like a a discreet high-tech box. [/QUOTE] But [other countries](http://www4.ncsu.edu/~grhess/photo/DangerSigns/DangerSigns-Images/2.jpg) manage to come up with a picture that is recognisably a modern camera. True, it doesn’t look like a speed camera. I wonder why they don’t use a picture of a [GATSO](http://www.cambs.police.uk/camops/safetycameras/information/images/gatso.jpg) type camera, as they’re easily recognisable. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615/50 "2007-08-08T15:44:59Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] But [other countries](http://www4.ncsu.edu/~grhess/photo/DangerSigns/DangerSigns-Images/2.jpg) manage to come up with a picture that is recognisably a modern camera. True, it doesn’t look like a speed camera. I wonder why they don’t use a picture of a [GATSO](http://www.cambs.police.uk/camops/safetycameras/information/images/gatso.jpg) type camera, as they’re easily recognisable. [/QUOTE] I do agree; maybe then it is a matter of old-fashioned signifiers being so eccentric as to be more noticeable than their modern counterparts. For example, the handshank from the middle ages used for clutching at straws… oh… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-the-save-icon-have-left/414615.md?page=2)