What’s wrong with Microsoft’s new logos?
Business Technology | May 28, 2013
It is said that everyone is a critic. You can observe this firsthand at the Quora knowledge-sharing Web site. A short time ago, a Quora user took Microsoft to task. This user wasn’t annoyed that Windows 8 was clunky and counter-intuitive. The user wasn’t upset, either, that Internet Explorer didn’t return the best search results. No, this user took Microsoft to task for its lack of artistic ambition. Yes, that’s right.
Lazy Logos?
A user on the Quora information-sharing site just recently criticized Microsoft’s newest logos, graphics that represent everything from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Publisher, for being too simple. The images – that happen to be rather stark – look as if they took a few minutes to produce, this aspiring art critic wrote. The critic claims that this trend of lazy logos began with the introduction of Office 2013 and Windows 8.
Not Everyone Agrees
To no one’s surprise – at least to anyone who’s ever used Quora – the user’s argument immediately stirred up debate. A lot of fellow site users stood up for Microsoft, declaring that the logos are actually rather striking in their minimalism. And, indeed, when you check out the logos lined up next to each other, the effect is a bit striking. Microsoft’s new, simpler icons, immediately tell you what program you can open by touching them.
Simple is Better?
The fans of Microsoft’s new logos may be right. The intention of the icons is to let users know what program will pop up after they click on the icon. And the logos express this information well. You instantly recognize which icon will open Microsoft Publisher and which will open Microsoft’s new cloud services. And if a logo does that? Then who cares if it’s simple?
It is said that everyone is a critic. You can observe this firsthand at the Quora knowledge-sharing Web site. A short time ago, a Quora user took Microsoft to task. This user wasn’t annoyed that Windows 8 was clunky and counter-intuitive. The user wasn’t upset, either, that Internet Explorer didn’t return the best search results. No, this user took Microsoft to task for its lack of artistic ambition. Yes, that’s right.
Lazy Logos?
A user on the Quora information-sharing site just recently criticized Microsoft’s newest logos, graphics that represent everything from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Publisher, for being too simple. The images – that happen to be rather stark – look as if they took a few minutes to produce, this aspiring art critic wrote. The critic claims that this trend of lazy logos began with the introduction of Office 2013 and Windows 8.
Not Everyone Agrees
To no one’s surprise – at least to anyone who’s ever used Quora – the user’s argument immediately stirred up debate. A lot of fellow site users stood up for Microsoft, declaring that the logos are actually rather striking in their minimalism. And, indeed, when you check out the logos lined up next to each other, the effect is a bit striking. Microsoft’s new, simpler icons, immediately tell you what program you can open by touching them.
Simple is Better?
The fans of Microsoft’s new logos may be right. The intention of the icons is to let users know what program will pop up after they click on the icon. And the logos express this information well. You instantly recognize which icon will open Microsoft Publisher and which will open Microsoft’s new cloud services. And if a logo does that? Then who cares if it’s simple?