Comments on: The evolution of the On/Off power switch symbol http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/ Nathan Zeldes blogs on everyday product design Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:05:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Clueless in Seattle http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-5655 Clueless in Seattle Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:47:27 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-5655 Hi again! I just found this interesting document that shows a bunch of symbols and says the circle with the line in it means "standby." http://eetd.lbl.gov/Controls/overview/symbols1.pdf It also confirms that my surmise that the line and circle represented circuit diagrams was, indeed, totally mistaken. Oh well, live and learn, eh? Will in Seattle a.k.a. "Clueless" Hi again!

I just found this interesting document that shows a bunch of symbols and says the circle with the line in it means “standby.”

http://eetd.lbl.gov/Controls/overview/symbols1.pdf

It also confirms that my surmise that the line and circle represented circuit diagrams was, indeed, totally mistaken.

Oh well, live and learn, eh?

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. “Clueless”

]]> By: Clueless in Seattle http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-5654 Clueless in Seattle Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:54:45 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-5654 For years I've been puzzling over those two symbols, the circle and the line, that often appear alongside rocker switches. My first guess was that the circle must represent a closed circuit, i.e. "on," and that the line, since it is in effect broken at each end, must represent an open circuit, i.e., "off." But from my experience with the way they actually work, it seems that the opposite may be the case. Will in Seattle a.k.a. "Clueless" For years I’ve been puzzling over those two symbols, the circle and the line, that often appear alongside rocker switches.

My first guess was that the circle must represent a closed circuit, i.e. “on,” and that the line, since it is in effect broken at each end, must represent an open circuit, i.e., “off.”

But from my experience with the way they actually work, it seems that the opposite may be the case.

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. “Clueless”

]]> By: Edward Yang http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-5622 Edward Yang Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:36:34 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-5622 I ran across your site as I took delivery of a new power supply unit for my PC from Thermaltake. Looking at the power symbol, it shows only the 1 and 0. Until I saw your site, I had no idea that it represents binary 1 and 0. Amazing that something as simple as a on/off illustration can cause so much confusion. Now I know that the 1 means on and 0 means off (recalling my old electrical circuits enginnering class from mechanical engineering undergrad). Pretty sad that I didn't even know how to read the 1 and 0. Very helpful as I undergo out of PC testing of my new power supply unit so I don't shock myself. Thank you! I ran across your site as I took delivery of a new power supply unit for my PC from Thermaltake. Looking at the power symbol, it shows only the 1 and 0. Until I saw your site, I had no idea that it represents binary 1 and 0.

Amazing that something as simple as a on/off illustration can cause so much confusion.

Now I know that the 1 means on and 0 means off (recalling my old electrical circuits enginnering class from mechanical engineering undergrad). Pretty sad that I didn’t even know how to read the 1 and 0.

Very helpful as I undergo out of PC testing of my new power supply unit so I don’t shock myself. Thank you!

]]> By: eric http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-5557 eric Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:07:07 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-5557 I think it's nuts that anyone would ever use glyphs that are not obvious on something as important as a power switch. The first photograph above that says "on" and "off" is clear to all but the retarded (or non English speakers), the circle and line are not, even just based on a quick survey of people in the office. If you want a good language-independent symbol, how about a light bulb, and light bulb with lines coming out of it. Most people would say it's obvious the one with the lines means light (power) on. It's like the bit from Demolotion Man where the guy askes what the three shells are for in the bathroom. If you have to ask, that's telling you it's confusing. I think it’s nuts that anyone would ever use glyphs that are not obvious
on something as important as a power switch. The first photograph above
that says “on” and “off” is clear to all but the retarded (or non English
speakers), the circle and line are not, even just based on a quick survey of
people in the office. If you want a good language-independent symbol, how
about a light bulb, and light bulb with lines coming out of it. Most people
would say it’s obvious the one with the lines means light (power) on.

It’s like the bit from Demolotion Man where the guy askes what the three shells
are for in the bathroom. If you have to ask, that’s telling you it’s confusing.

]]> By: So, is a Blackberry a pro or con for WLB? at Challenge Information Overload http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-5537 So, is a Blackberry a pro or con for WLB? at Challenge Information Overload Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:00:29 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-5537 [...] day I’ll tell you about that little switch with the magic symbol on it… Share [...] [...] day I’ll tell you about that little switch with the magic symbol on it… Share [...]

]]> By: Kendra http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-5525 Kendra Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:17:02 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-5525 I was thinking maybe you press it to turn on or to go into standby because Wikipedia said that used to be the old standby symbol before the crescent moon. I was thinking maybe you press it to turn on or to go into standby because Wikipedia said that used to be the old standby symbol before the crescent moon.

]]> By: Multi-device remote controls at Commonsense Design http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-3565 Multi-device remote controls at Commonsense Design Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:40:04 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-3565 [...] R/C on the left simply has a section at the right dedicated to controlling the TV, with its own On/Off switch and channel and volume controls. This results in some redundancy with the controls of the DVD [...] [...] R/C on the left simply has a section at the right dedicated to controlling the TV, with its own On/Off switch and channel and volume controls. This results in some redundancy with the controls of the DVD [...]

]]> By: Nathan Zeldes http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-3410 Nathan Zeldes Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:50:41 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-3410 Hey Esther, looks like Wordpress doesn't take kindly to bilingual word play... it turned your Hebrew chicken into "???"! But I can deduce what you meant... :-) Hey Esther, looks like Wordpress doesn’t take kindly to bilingual word play… it turned your Hebrew chicken into “???”! But I can deduce what you meant… :-)

]]> By: Esther http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-3404 Esther Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:39:17 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-3404 When I worked at the science museum the guys in the workshop used to put selfmade stickers with "On" and "???" on all kinds of apparatus they made. Of course they didn't mean to implicate a chicken would come out of the device, just a little bilingual word play you might enjoy. When I worked at the science museum the guys in the workshop used to put selfmade stickers with “On” and “???” on all kinds of apparatus they made. Of course they didn’t mean to implicate a chicken would come out of the device, just a little bilingual word play you might enjoy.

]]> By: An alien twist on the On/Off Switch symbol at Commonsense Design http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/comment-page-1/#comment-3400 An alien twist on the On/Off Switch symbol at Commonsense Design Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:54:26 +0000 http://designblog.nzeldes.com/2008/05/the-evolution-of-the-onoff-power-switch-symbol/#comment-3400 [...] post about the evolution of the On/Off Switch symbol turned out to be very popular with this blog’s esteemed readers. So, here is a second serving [...] [...] post about the evolution of the On/Off Switch symbol turned out to be very popular with this blog’s esteemed readers. So, here is a second serving [...]

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