The fundamental problem with icons is that they can mean so many different things, as the example with washing shows. I&#x27;ve heard this summed up as &quot;a picture is worth a thousand words, but you don&#x27;t want a thousand words when one will do.&quot;<p>I don&#x27;t use Apple Mail, so this is an example of what a completely new user --- albeit one who has used computers for a long time --- thinks when they see those icons along the top:<p>- It&#x27;s a closed envelope. Mail? Send? Close?<p>- Write? Edit? Compose? Sign?<p>- No idea what this is.<p>- Trash can. Deleted items? Delete?<p>- Left-pointing arrow --- but coming from bottom and looking like it expands outward. Back? Open message in separate window?<p>- Two left-pointing arrows. Rewind?<p>- Forward to next message? And why is this arrow not coming out of the bottom, unlike the two to its left?<p>- Flag. This is probably the clearest of them all.