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A new paradigm in icons

I drink a lot of water. And as a result, I have had a lot of time to ponder this icon:

If you work with me, and you're a boy, you'll know why I've been staring at this icon so much:

I love this icon because it is a picture of a hand, pressing a button. On a button. So to recap, what this icon conveys is:

  • This object is a button

  • You can push the button with your hand.
It is apparently not necessary to convey what the button will do, or even to imply that it will do anything. And yet, the user interface is a complete success! Users know what the button does, even without any iconic suggestion.

This gives me an idea: I propose that to simplify user interfaces everywhere, we all agree to standardize on one button which just indicates (through an icon) that the button is a button, which you can click. With your mouse. It might look something like this:


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