Has any research been done on which classic computer icons people fail to understand because they reference things that are not in common use anymore? There are plenty of people with articles giving advice, but I find their examples lacking.
For example, Tara Horner at Design Festival.
I agree with a few of her examples. USB stick instead of 3.5" floppy disk to signify saving, sure. Scissors in "oh so last decade bubble sphere" instead of clipboard for copy/paste actions, OK, but get rid of the overly highlighted bubble sphere and hire a real designer.
I don't believe today's kids will be any more confused by a paint palette than by a color wheel for color selection. This should fit in with the overall design and feeling of the app. No one I knew except for Bob Ross used a paint palette when I was a kid either, but everyone knew what one was.
Tara suggests against file cabinets (for "open" I guess) and suggests using file folders. Even though she acknowledges file folders are hardly used anymore either, she suggests giving the file folder a snazzy updated look... basically so it looks nothing like a file folder, or anything else.
I'm really confused by one of the examples she gives for replacing the aging telephone handset icon. It's some kind of white box with buttons on the sides and a depiction of an original iPod on the front. What?
Tara suggests against full studio head phones because she rarely sees anyone wearing these now. I wouldn't say it's often, but I do see these still today. From what I've seen, there has been a resurgence in their use among teens and college students (see Skullcandy). I think the vast majority of users will instantly recognize what these are.
I did some research on this subject in a course I taught last semester at Miami University. Apple's Podcasts app was getting beaten up partly for displaying a rotating reel-to-reel tape player as an indicator that a podcast was playing. Supposedly the younger generation doesn't know what this is, which made it a terrible design flourish. So I asked my students to gauge recognition. Out of 17 students, 2 didn't know what "reel-to-reel tape" referred to.