iconicity.html -
noun (
Science and
Technology) In computing jargon, a small
symbolic picture on a computer screen,
especially one that represents an
option or
function that
can be selected
by moving the
pointer and clicking (see
click ) on the icon.
Etymology: A specialization of sense: in its original sense an icon is any representation or picture of
something (from Greek eikon 'likeness')--probably the best known examples are the religious pictures used in the
Eastern Orthodox churches.
History and Usage: The icon first started to appear widely in the
early eighties, when computer manufacturers were trying to make computer screens more user-friendly to maximize on the rapid
growth of the personal-computer market. The first icons typically allowed the computer screen to appear like a familiar
desk-top, with the
various files and tools available set out upon it in the form of small symbols (for example, a pile of
index cards bearing a filename for
each of the files which could be opened, a pencil or paintbrush for a program which could be used to 'paint' on the screen, etc.). The processes of computing were
thus made to appear as similar as possible to the
physical use of files, pencils, etc. and the need to use an unfamiliar command
language was minimized. As the use of windows (see
window° ) developed during the eighties,
whole windows of text could be 'shrunk' to the size of an icon so as to make
room on the screen for other windows: the verb iconify and the adjective iconified were derived from icon to
refer to
this facility. In the late eighties, a
series of sound equivalents for the icon was
tried, with different audio messages representing different functions and operations. This
concept was punningly named the earcon (reinterpreting icon as eye-con). Newwave
software,
shown here, is one of several
that use icons...to represent different applications. The Times 8 Dec. 1987, p.
31 These 'earcons', a sound equivalent of icons, would tell the user how much memory is left, which
task it is performing and how close it is to finishing. New Scientist 23 June 1988, p.
46 on the icon.
Etymology : A specialization of sense: in
its original sense an icon is
any representation or
picture of
something (
from Greek eikon 'likeness')--probably the
best known examples are the
religious pictures used in the
Eastern Orthodox churches.
History and
Usage: The icon first started to appear
widely in the
early eighties,
when computer manufacturers were
trying to make computer screens
more user-friendly to
maximize on the
rapid growth of the personal-computer
market. The
first icons typically allowed the
computer screen to appear
like a
familiar desk-top , with the
various files and tools
available set out upon it in the
form of
small symbols (
for example, a pile of
index cards
bearing a filename for
each of the files which could be opened, a
pencil or
paintbrush for a program
which could be used to 'paint' on the screen, etc.). The processes of computing were
thus made to
appear as
similar as
possible to the
physical use of files, pencils, etc. and the
need to use an
unfamiliar command language was minimized. As the use of windows (
see window° ) developed
during the eighties,
whole windows of
text could be 'shrunk' to the
size of
an icon
so as to
make room on the
screen for
other windows: the
verb iconify and the
adjective iconified
were derived from icon to
refer to
this facility. In the
late eighties, a
series of
sound equivalents for the icon
was tried ,
with different
audio messages representing different functions and operations.
This concept was punningly named the
earcon (reinterpreting icon as eye-con). Newwave
software ,
shown here, is
one of
several that use icons...to
represent different applications. The Times 8 Dec. 1987,
p.
31
These 'earcons', a
sound equivalent of icons,
would tell the
user how
much memory is
left,
which task it is performing
and how close
it is to finishing.
New Scientist 23
June 1988, p. 46
