Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!motcsd!lance
From: lance@motcsd.csd.mot.com (lance.norskog)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: Thing ICON
Keywords: wanted - graphical representation for generic objects
Message-ID: <4325@motcsd.csd.mot.com>
Date: 24 Jun 91 00:04:18 GMT
References: <1991Jun17.111116.810@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU> <2040@uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au> <1991Jun20.214406.13733@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <7053@husc6.harvard.edu>
Organization: Motorola CSD, Cupertino CA
Lines: 24

burns@endor.uucp (John Burns) writes:
>Along the lines of the teapot someone suggested, how about an anvil, or
>some similar picture of a heavy object with no moving parts?  I'm not quite
>sure if you want to convey the idea of (a) mystery object


Is anyone else reminded of the Monolith in 2001?

In this case, the original form of the Monolith would be more appropriate
than the one that made it on screen.  Originally the 2001 Monolith was
clear, not black.  They cast the largest piece of Lucite ever made
(at least in 1968) and discovered that they absolutely could not film it.

So they made a black one instead. [1]

In this case, a clear rectangular prism, seen in a perspective view, with
diagonal lines across the sides to indicate clear planes [2]
would be an excellent "generic thang" icon.

Lance Norskog

1 - Arthur C. Clarke.

2 - What do cartoonists call that?