Isn't this a little like criticising an experienced photographer for not following the "Rule of Thirds"? This is even less of a case, because they are "Guidelines" not even "Rules" or "Requirements". Just because they don't follow them to the letter all of the time doesn't mean they aren't a good idea in general.
It seems to be another case of: Apple story is non-story.
Indeed. It's hardly news, anyway; Apple violates their own HIG all the time (cf. brushed metal theme and iTunes zoom button). There's a reason they're called "guidelines".
Personally, I think it's a valid point. The icon in question definitely seems less professional and (ahem) iconic than the well-known TextEdit icon. Even without the Greeked text, the perspective, shading and typography are all awkward.
Apple has been criticized about this for ages, and I think the criticism is generally a bit more nuanced than you let on: the complaint is that "modern" (post-OSX) Apple often goes way beyond simply showing good judgment and breaking the rules when it helps the interface, and many times strays into simple self-indulgence, making things prettier and shinier at the cost of usability.
[I don't use Apple products enough to say whether this is really true, and as an outside observer, I rather like the pretty-shiny. But that is the criticism.]
Comments
Isn't this a little like criticising an experienced photographer for not following the "Rule of Thirds"? This is even less of a case, because they are "Guidelines" not even "Rules" or "Requirements". Just because they don't follow them to the letter all of the time doesn't mean they aren't a good idea in general.
It seems to be another case of: Apple story is non-story.
Indeed. It's hardly news, anyway; Apple violates their own HIG all the time (cf. brushed metal theme and iTunes zoom button). There's a reason they're called "guidelines".
So don't upvote. :P
Personally, I think it's a valid point. The icon in question definitely seems less professional and (ahem) iconic than the well-known TextEdit icon. Even without the Greeked text, the perspective, shading and typography are all awkward.
Apple has been criticized about this for ages, and I think the criticism is generally a bit more nuanced than you let on: the complaint is that "modern" (post-OSX) Apple often goes way beyond simply showing good judgment and breaking the rules when it helps the interface, and many times strays into simple self-indulgence, making things prettier and shinier at the cost of usability.
[I don't use Apple products enough to say whether this is really true, and as an outside observer, I rather like the pretty-shiny. But that is the criticism.]