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Ask DLS: why is every damn web browser logo round?
Maybe you noticed this ages ago, but the thought just occurred to me (and most of the rest of our crew after I pinged the list) this afternoon. Why is it that every web browser has a round icon/logo?
Don't get me wrong - we kicked it around on the list and there's the obvious roundness in the phrase World Wide Web. But is there any other sector where the iconography is this uniform?
Netscape used to have a big, boxy icon, but even that vanished as time went by. With the digging I did this afternoon, I only found one non-round icon: Midori (right). And even it has kind of a squashed-but-still-round look to it.
Oddly, Opera, whose name "sounds" like it should be the roundest logo of the bunch, is noticeably less round than the others I shopped together.
What's the deal? Is the circle just the ultimate shape for a browser logo?
Could there be some kind of Illuminati-run conspiracy at work?
Sesame Street was all about circles the other day, maybe those creepy little muppets are behind it all...
Don't get me wrong - we kicked it around on the list and there's the obvious roundness in the phrase World Wide Web. But is there any other sector where the iconography is this uniform?
Netscape used to have a big, boxy icon, but even that vanished as time went by. With the digging I did this afternoon, I only found one non-round icon: Midori (right). And even it has kind of a squashed-but-still-round look to it.Oddly, Opera, whose name "sounds" like it should be the roundest logo of the bunch, is noticeably less round than the others I shopped together.
What's the deal? Is the circle just the ultimate shape for a browser logo?
Could there be some kind of Illuminati-run conspiracy at work?
Sesame Street was all about circles the other day, maybe those creepy little muppets are behind it all...
Comments
54
Subscribe to commentsquantaJun 20th 2009 2:23PM
Sorry guys, you're just witnessing the general trend in graphical design. Rounder shapes are considered more "friendly" and "fun" while shapes with sharp lines and corners are considered "tough" and "formal". It's no coincidence that MS Office icons tend to be square-ish.
A good designer of logos will adhere to these principles as much as possible. This is especially relevant where icons are involved, as they need to be recognizable even when 16 pixels high. Therefore, designers will gravitate toward fundamental shapes such as squares and circles.
So, it's not just browsers that are getting round logos - lots of consumer-level programs have round icons such as iTunes, Windows Vista/7, and Mozilla Thunderbird.
Lots of corporate logos are going "round" too - witness Wal-mart's transformation from big block letters to a thinner lower-case font with a round starburst.
JacksonJun 20th 2009 3:09PM
http://www.icab.de/
KlerudJun 20th 2009 4:24PM
That one there looks pretty pointy to me.. Ouch!
singj97Jun 20th 2009 5:28PM
Round signifies internet 'round the world. It would be square to have a square icon.http://jamesmsingleton.com
Pat SullivanJun 21st 2009 5:52PM
17/35 logos on my desktop are round so im going with they make them look like other logos.
StopSpammingJun 21st 2009 6:39AM
Don't forget the "mighty" browser - Konqueror!
http://konqueror.kde.org/
AbbasJinJun 21st 2009 6:19PM
Nice observation :P
I think its just that the first web browser logo that was circular made a psychologicaly effect on all following web browsers. The logo makers were unintentionally following suite and made the logo round also.
bl.ueyezJun 22nd 2009 12:07AM
nice article
AnonymouseJun 22nd 2009 2:52AM
Don't even joke about the Illuminati... They're frikin real. lol.
markworden7Jun 22nd 2009 3:06PM
Uh, last time I checked, AM Browser had a square icon =)
Yep, it's a conspiracy...time to switch! Let's start a campaign against any software that has a round icon =)
DLS running out of topics? Well, if this article on browser icons is pathetic, then how pathetic are WE for commenting on it...we're up to 50 so far (as I'm typing, mine will be 51!) =)
I enjoy reading DLS pretty much on a daily basis...I like the variety of topics you cover. Keep up the good work!
Mark
ChristianJun 22nd 2009 3:45PM
We need to make Squircle icons, that's for sure!
LOL, actually a given answer is that it looks like a globe, making it look like you're browsing whatever is out there on earth....
Lee MathewsJun 22nd 2009 3:45PM
Squircle...I love it.
thejoeyJun 23rd 2009 4:32AM
The icon for Avant Browser (although it has rounded edges) is more square than round...
RafaelJul 7th 2009 5:27PM
kkkkkkkk
Definitely the muppets started it!