Why do we make a hand-crank motion when asking someone to roll down their window? After all, in most new cars, that’s done with the press of a button. An outmoded gesture like this is similar to a skeuomorph, a design element that still used even though it no longer has a function. For example, smartphones still use images of old handsets or tape recorders to indicate phone and voicemail functions. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Skeuomorphs”
Grant, I have another skeuomorph for you.
That’s something that has an element of a design that’s preserved, even though it’s no longer necessary.
Back when my father was getting up in years, he decided that he needed to exercise inside the house more.
And so he went to Sears and he bought a relatively cheap exercise bike and he set it up in the den and he would ride it while he was watching TV, which was adorable.
But what cracked me up is that the pedals on this exercise bike had reflectors on them.
What is that about?
You don’t need reflectors on an indoor exercise bike.
Did it have a bell too?
I don’t think so, but the reflectors were the equivalent of that.
Yeah, maybe it’s just cheaper to buy them in bulk and put them on all your real bikes than your exercise bikes.
Maybe so.
Send us your skeuomorphs, words@waywordradio.org.
