It is good to return to my blog. I spent most of April designing and learning new software. I noticed that the “Save” icon on these new programs is still a “floppy disk”. (Specifically, the 3.5″ floppy disk.)

For years now, manufucturers have been making computers without floppy drives. And, even those customers who still have computers with floppy drives probably use CDs, DVDs and flash memory media to store their portable data. As I thought about a new generation who would need to be told why the “Save” icon looks the way it does, I wondered if anyone else was thinking along the same lines.

A quick internet search confirmed that my thinking was not original, but I found it interesting that more than a couple blogs mention this subject in the last few weeks. Is this a sign that a “spontaneous movement” is afoot? Probably not. But, it does remind me that one of the great strengths and weaknesses of the internet is the ability to unite people of the same mindset.

The strength part is obvious, but I think it is a weakness, too. Too many people thinking the same thoughts doesn’t promote creativity. And, some people never challenge their beliefs, so they don’t see their own errors or the truth that other people have discovered. Going to the same news sites, reading the same bloggers, listening to the same politicians is just another way to keep the blinkers on.

So, in the spirit of thinking about things from the other side, I will consider that only one view is correct. Mine. 🙂

(By the way, it was Sony announcing the eventual end to its floppy disk production that was the catalyst for some of the bloggers. For me, inspiration came from hours and hours in front of a computer screen.)