Hello,
I guess my point was that if you can't accurately represent the action visually you are better off using text. I have to agree that the text toolbar could be useful since those commands are not used nearly as much as the modeling commands in the application, so there isn't too much emphasis on training users to visually identify a command with an icon.
I have to agree with Michael on a few points about the grey icon set. The vast majority of PC users have been conditioned by Microsoft to recognize certain icons as doing certain things, and there is no reason not to use that. I realize that not many people use 3.5" floppies to save anything anymore, but so many users have been conditioned to make that picture synonymous with save, why change it? By changing it you end up confusing people. Let the heavyweights be the first movers for the everyday icons.
Personally I think Michael's icons work well for the most part because they are high contrast, they contribute visually to the action, scale well and they stay simple. Sometimes it's better to take small steps on visual elements to kind of ease users into newer sets instead of hammering them with completely new icons. For example, the "Extend" icon in my opinion could use some minor action element to indicate the line extension. It's really nitpicking since the icon supports the text enough for me to realize the action, but rather than ripping the icon out, an incremental improvement could be done so that the original users aren't alienated and the new users still get the point of the action.
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