I’m here to talk to you about why they’re great, and how this is probably Microsoft’s greatest contribution to mankind, ever.
This is just a stupid remark to make, I don't think I have to explain why.
Hyperbole is a rhetorical device in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.
I think we should add a rhetoric attribute to html tags. That way people can tell if something is sarcasm, exaggeration, metaphor, satire, etc.
I've said this before and I'll keep saying it: every site needs a favicon! It's a shame something so simple to create isn't everywhere yet. One example - http://www.pulseapp.com/ - which is the only site on my bookmarks bar without a favicon.
Well, I make logos myself and I only consider it done when I have a good logo at different sizes. I'd say a logo is only a good logo if it's scales to the size of a favicon or to something really big so you can use if on outdoors. It might sounds like too much trouble just to make a logo but it's better to think about it before than changing it afterwards.
I use the above template to plan my personal finances and it works in a similar way to Pulse but at a very basic level. The funniest thing is just last night my wife said I could make a web-app out of the Excel and people would use it. Seems like Pulse did just that and a lot more.
I've more or less stopped paying attention to favicons ever since I started using chrome because they don't show up on the URL bar anymore. They're still there on bookmarks, true, but I basically don't use bookmarks anymore either. And most of my bookmarks bar is full of js bookmarklets (like Readability) that don't have favicons anyway.
Anyone know of a Firefox or Chrome extension that lets you assign a favicon to sites that don't otherwise define them (or perhaps override their existing choice)?
People who like to see at a glance where a bookmark goes often care. Bad titles are one thing, but not even knowing what's at the other end of the link is really irritating. Likewise, it's nice if you use browser tabs.
It's so simple to add a favicon and the branding payoff is immediate -- why wouldn't you? Most of the large community sites I've worked on or with have benefited from this trivial change far out of proportion to the 90 seconds it took to Gimp a photo/logo down to size.
As the article says, it is not about pleasing non-geeks. It's about helping them find your site again, for instance in your bookmarks. Someone who genuinely don't care about favicon probably never open many tabs at once, nor uses bookmarks, nor search his browsing history.
It is possible however, that almost nobody knowingly care about favicons. But how many will miss it if you deactivate them? I think this would be far more than just developers and internet addicts.
23 comments
[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 33.7 ms ] threadI think we should add a rhetoric attribute to html tags. That way people can tell if something is sarcasm, exaggeration, metaphor, satire, etc.
(Suggestion for <sarcasm> tag)
That linked site though could simply use the green bars.
You can charge more from clients who are already feeling the pain, so let them have a go at it first :-)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/111770/CashFlow.xls
I use the above template to plan my personal finances and it works in a similar way to Pulse but at a very basic level. The funniest thing is just last night my wife said I could make a web-app out of the Excel and people would use it. Seems like Pulse did just that and a lot more.
Hashes the domain and generates a unique favicon.
the rest? nor really.
It's so simple to add a favicon and the branding payoff is immediate -- why wouldn't you? Most of the large community sites I've worked on or with have benefited from this trivial change far out of proportion to the 90 seconds it took to Gimp a photo/logo down to size.
It is possible however, that almost nobody knowingly care about favicons. But how many will miss it if you deactivate them? I think this would be far more than just developers and internet addicts.