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Tweeted twitter.com/#!/StackUX/status/370609535159115776
making question more generic, not restricted to mouse cursors
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jingtao
jingtao
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This question is asking about why spinning animations tend to used as "conventional" indefinite loading animations - it is not asking why a particular software/app/OS uses a spinner.

Also the question is asking about loading sequences in general, not limited to mouse cursors.

Examples (not only limited to mouse cursors):

Windows Vista, 7 and 8 uses a ring cursor that has a spinning glow.

Mac OS X has its spinning beachball. The Preview app shows a spinner as well when loading the preview of a file.

... and many many more. Except for the recent ones which don't use spinners, such as Windows Phone's dots which move across the screen.

Obviously the animation gives a cue to the user that the entire system has not frozen yet (hence why the icon/cursor is still animating), but why, why spinners?

This question is asking about why spinning animations tend to used as "conventional" indefinite loading animations - it is not asking why a particular software/app/OS uses a spinner.

Examples:

Windows Vista, 7 and 8 uses a ring cursor that has a spinning glow.

Mac OS X has its spinning beachball.

... and many many more. Except for the recent ones which don't use spinners, such as Windows Phone's dots which move across the screen.

Obviously the animation gives a cue to the user that the entire system has not frozen yet (hence why the icon/cursor is still animating), but why, why spinners?

This question is asking about why spinning animations tend to used as "conventional" indefinite loading animations - it is not asking why a particular software/app/OS uses a spinner.

Also the question is asking about loading sequences in general, not limited to mouse cursors.

Examples (not only limited to mouse cursors):

Windows Vista, 7 and 8 uses a ring cursor that has a spinning glow.

Mac OS X has its spinning beachball. The Preview app shows a spinner as well when loading the preview of a file.

... and many many more. Except for the recent ones which don't use spinners, such as Windows Phone's dots which move across the screen.

Obviously the animation gives a cue to the user that the entire system has not frozen yet (hence why the icon/cursor is still animating), but why, why spinners?

Source Link
jingtao
jingtao
  • 495
  • 1
  • 3
  • 9

Why are spinning animations typically used for loading sequences?

This question is asking about why spinning animations tend to used as "conventional" indefinite loading animations - it is not asking why a particular software/app/OS uses a spinner.

Examples:

Windows Vista, 7 and 8 uses a ring cursor that has a spinning glow.

Mac OS X has its spinning beachball.

... and many many more. Except for the recent ones which don't use spinners, such as Windows Phone's dots which move across the screen.

Obviously the animation gives a cue to the user that the entire system has not frozen yet (hence why the icon/cursor is still animating), but why, why spinners?