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[Google Talk] icon: a little orange ball with a clock inside

henny erica lene mogensen [PersonRank 0]

Monday, May 26, 2008
16 years ago36,235 views

why canĀ“t I simply look up every icon and see, what it means.
What does a little orange ball with a clock inside next to someones name mean?

Motti [PersonRank 10]

16 years ago #

It means they're online but idle (e.g. away from their computer). But you're right, it would be simple for the Gmail team to add a tooltip/alt-text or to have a verbal description in the pop up.

Their meaning is described here http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=33508

David Hetfield [PersonRank 10]

16 years ago #

Well, they've kinda did..
If a person doesn't write a personal message, and its status is either Available or Busy, after a while the person is away from his computer, his status will turn into Idle.

Ben Allen [PersonRank 10]

16 years ago #

Sometimes too simple isn't easy enough to figure out?..

Ianf [PersonRank 10]

16 years ago #

But are these pictographs [what we otherwise call computer-] icons? The latter usually provide some graphic representation of an idea, or software function/ bundle. Whereas these are chiefly graphic flags, binary on/off status notices... their significance lying not in decoration, but in their very presence or absence next to other elements. And that simple fact makes them different from "proper" icons, where a tooltip elaborating on its meaning might be advisable.

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