So many of the symbols and icons we use every day are learned without ever knowing the meanings behind them. We just go about our days, pressing and clicking on buttons, without a second thought — and a lot of them have become unrecognizable to younger generations, like the shape of a phone icon or the history of the save icon.
Sure, have you ever wondered about the reason behind the power button symbol—a circle with a slash through the top part? Let me explain what this emblem signifies and how it originated.
The famous electricity emblem, clarified
The power icon, visible on almost all contemporary computers and notebooks, dates back to the 1950s. During this period, equipment was controlled via manual switches with distinct "on" and "off" positions.
However, employing the terms "on" and "off" posed challenges because of linguistic differences, thus necessitating a universally recognized symbol. The answer emerged through the use of binary code: in this system, 1 signifies "on," "true," or "yes," whereas 0 denotes "off," "false," or "no."
Apple
By merging the 1 and 0, the power symbol came into existence: a big circle (0) with a short vertical line (1) cutting through it. This universally comprehensible emblem was intended to indicate that a switch or button controls the activation and deactivation of its corresponding device.
Fun fact: In earlier times, this circle-with-a-vertical-line symbol indicated "standby mode" or "energy-saving mode." Nowadays, that function is typically denoted by a crescent moon since we generally refer to it as "sleep mode." However, the power icon remains unchanged.
Further reading: All symbols and icons found on every laptop port, demystified
Post a Comment