What's with Finder's icon?

[lord patton]

I've been helping my 70 year old parents learn to use their new MacBook (their first—the fourth switchers I can claim!).

My mom actually asked a reasonable question—Why does the Finder's icon look like a smiley face. She said it kinda looks like that Theater icon thingy—you know, the one with a happy and sad face.

So why is the way it is? Mom said it should be a magnifying glass, instead

 

[QCassidy352]

Your mom makes a good point. It's a design that comes from the early days of Mac OS; it would show up on the boot screen. I'm guessing they kept it around as the Finder icon because of nostalgia. But that's just a guess!

 

[ClassicBean]

Because her Mac is happy she switched.

 

[CalBoy]

Because her Mac is happy she switched.

Well, the image is known as "Happy Mac." Before Tiger (I think) came out, the Apple image we're used to seeing now had the "Happy Mac" imagine in its place. It's basically a relic from the "good old days."

 

[lord patton]

Because her Mac is happy she switched.

Ha! It will be ecstatic when she dumps AOL.

 

[Nermal]

Well, the image is known as "Happy Mac." Before Tiger (I think) came out, the Apple image we're used to seeing now had the "Happy Mac" imagine in its place. It's basically a relic from the "good old days."

Indeed. The old systems would show a "happy Mac" while booting up, or a "sad Mac" if something went horribly wrong.

 

[Drile]

Indeed. The old systems would show a "happy Mac" while booting up, or a "sad Mac" if something went horribly wrong.

Glad to say I haven't had to see the "sad Mac" in a looooooong time.

 

[adk]

Because This

is what showed up when early macs booted.