Xref: utzoo alt.hypertext:834 comp.cog-eng:1942 comp.graphics:17159 comp.multimedia:320 comp.software-eng:5305 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!ccncsu!purdue!news.cs.indiana.edu!samsung!emory!utkcs2!mars!sfp From: sfp@mars.ornl.gov (Phil Spelt) Newsgroups: alt.hypertext,comp.cog-eng,comp.graphics,comp.multimedia,comp.software-eng Subject: Re: Images vs. Text Message-ID: <1991Apr10.162103.16471@cs.utk.edu> Date: 10 Apr 91 16:21:03 GMT References: <1991Apr2.180348.19733@smsc.sony.com> <1991Apr02.235121.17834@convex.com> <1991Apr5.032157.10421@ecf.utoronto.ca> Sender: usenet@cs.utk.edu (USENET News Poster) Reply-To: sfp@mars.epm.ornl.gov (Phil Spelt) Distribution: na Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab Lines: 42 (LOTS of stuff deleated) >3) What does the following picture mean? > > > _ _ > / \ / \ > / \ / \ > \ / \ / > \_/ \_/ > ---------------------- > > (hint: it is seen in my kitchen) > It appears on my dishwasher, and means heat dry! IMHO, the above picture really IS part of a parlor game. This whole issue is wasting bandwidth, because the fundamental issue is not being addredded: *WHAT* information is to be ocnveyed? Pictures are fine for *SOME* things. Moreover, the problem with the above "picture" is that the *CONTEXT* is missing!Properly drawn (I recognize the limitatins of an ASCIIgram!) and seen on a dishwasher, most people would be able to recognize what that symbol means. A good esample of the *PROPER* (IMHO) use of pictures is in the road/highway symbols used to convey information: People crossing, deer crossing, the infamous "banned" symbol, table utensils for diners, and on and on and on . . . The point is, that these symbols, *IN THEIR PROPER CONTEXT*, provide lots of information which is not dependent on ANY language, and which can communicate to people who speak a variety of languages! Will this (IMHO) *DEFINITIVE* analysis end this discussion??? Probably not (IMHO) 8=) . ============================================================================= MIND. A mysterious form of matter secreted by the brain. Its chief activity consists in the endeavor to asscertain its own nature, the futility of the attempt being due to the fact that it has nothing but itself to know itself with. -- Ambrose Bierce ============================================================================= Phil Spelt, Cognitive Systems & Human Factors Group sfp@epm.ornl.gov ============================================================================ Any opinions expressed or implied are my own, IF I choose to own up to them. ============================================================================