OZZPOT  If memory serves, they said that it was because it didn't have an ear on it, and suggested it may have been unclear to me that the other object on the icon was an ear.

In truth, of course I recognized it was an ear, but;

1) It's a hard thing to work into an icon and keep it attractive. An ear is a pretty ugly, asymmetrical object. Hard to draw and hard to make look nice. They always either look too photo-realistic or too cartoony (both are frowned upon in Apple's interface guidelines). A pair of lips is the opposite; symmetrical, colourful and instinctively attractive to the human eye. It's hard coded into our brains. It's also relatively easy to render lips to any level of realism required, from photo-realistic to almost abstract.

2). I didn't feel the ear was entirely relevant. Perhaps I'm not in a position to say such a thing, but I felt the focus of the app is the study and science of speech. Of course the ear plays it's part - in the normal human perception of that speech, but that's kind of obvious. The main goal of the icon is to get across the function of the application, which is speech (represented by the mouth) analyzed graphically (represented by the sound wave), on a computer display (a common convention of analytical software). To include the ear in the design is unnecessary and only serves to overcomplicate the icon (another no-no in Apple's interface guidelines).

Those are my reasons for not including the ear. I don't think I bothered to explain that to them - I have found that the client wants what the client wants. It's hard to change their minds. It's very hard to design something when you don't agree with the design direction. If you don't think it looks good, you never know when you're finished! So, you keep plugging away until it drives you insane. I hate getting into that situation even when I'm being paid, and since I did this one for free I certainly had no incentive to rework it.

Here's the link to it anyway for anyone that missed it: http://www.ozzpot.com/icons/  
(Version 5.0.43)

KOBALT  Well, what can I say - I asked for it. Thanks, Ozzpot, very elucidating!

It doesn't excuse for one single moment the devs' attitude for insisting they keep their *very* ugly icon, though - shame on you guys! You may have designed an app that can 'create high-quality images for ... articles and doctoral theses', but you appear to not be giving any consideration to a high quality image for your own creation in the form of an icon, surely this century's ultimate condensation of the heart and soul of any software program. If the app wasn't free, I'd say you guys desperately need a marketing manager, but seeing you don't charge any money for it, you probably just don't give a rat's arse (am I allowed to say that? it seems a bit crude, however appropriate).  
(Version 5.0.43)

ZANGIEF  Well, isn't this quite the interesting story? There are so many instances of bad design choices, I just love reading about them. Still an MS Paint icon. I don't care if I can get a "high-quality image" out of this app, because the image provided as an icon is clearly low-quality. Doesn't make much sense.  
(Version 5.0.44)

SHOTGUNWEDDINGS  Holy snapping arseholes Batman.

Your icon is way way better than the stupid looking one being used by the developer.

Wonder why they are being stubborn and keep using that lame looking kiddy scrawl they call an icon??????  
(Version 5.0.40)

PAWS  I too have found this icon discussion to be entertaining and interesting to follow. At this point my wild guess why they still stick with their original logo is this:

.

"There is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is NOT being talked about."

- Oscar Wilde -

;)  
(Version 5.0.42)

ZANGIEF  I honestly can't believe that the developer is still using that same MS Paint crap after all this time. Really ugly, that icon is.  
(Version 5.0.32)

TIAGO  Still the same icon... Nice!

Another gem from Stubborn Software...  
(Version 5.0.35)

ZANGIEF  I check every time there's a new release to see if they've changed it. Still nothing… let's pester the developer with emails until it's changed.  
(Version 5.0.35)

MACUPDATE ADMIN  Nice looking website you have: www.ozzdesign.com. Thanks for making an icon for this app, hopefully the Praat developers will like it. Can't see why not, if your website is any indication of your abilities.  
(Version 4.5.16)

KOBALT  AAARGH! let's hope they make up their minds sooner rather than later ... ;)  
(Version 4.5.16)

KOBALT  Doesn't look like they've approved your new icon just yet, Ozzpot :(  
(Version 4.5.17)

MACUPDATE ADMIN  Oh well, it was worth a try. Who knows, maybe they will use it eventually. Thanks anyway to the person who gave it a shot by making an icon for them.  
(Version 4.5.17)

HOLYPOLY  In case nobody knew (unlikely) - the icon represents a (crude) sketch of the brain regions involved in speech generation. Why would we need a skull to hide such a beauty ;>))  
(Version 4.5.24)

KOBALT  "In case nobody knew (unlikely) - the icon represents a (crude) sketch of the brain regions involved in speech generation."

And here was I thinking it's (crude) sketch of some lips and an ear ... how could I have been so mistaken! ;)  
(Version 4.6)

WOODEN BRAIN CONCEPTS  I have no use for this application but it looks great for those who do. As a developer with very minimal graphic design skills, I want to pipe in to say:

1) I wish more people like you would come forward when we release software with bad icons and offer to replace them.

2) this app is badly in need of a replacement icon. this one looks like an ear and a hat drawn by the pilot from the little prince.  
(Version 4.6.11)

HENRIKTEKNIK  This icon beats A Better Finder Rename's icon in terms of strangeness, by miles. However, in Praat's case, I can at least see what it represents, or so I thought...

If anyone knows what the thing under the chrystal ball resembles, I'd be curious to know.  
(Version 4.6.18)

HENRIKTEKNIK  ^ referring to A Better Finder Rename in my question there.  
(Version 4.6.18)

KOBALT  Well, Computernaut, it's way OT of course, but that thing under the 'crystal ball' is clearly the applicator brush from a bottle of nail polish ... what ever else did you think it could possibly be? See a larger version of the icon here http://www.publicspace.net/ABetterFinderRename/  
(Version 4.6.31)

MARK EVERITT  You mean the applicator from a bottle of Tipp-Ex right? If you don't know what that is then wikipedia it, I think americans may call it "liquid paper".  
(Version 4.6.32)

KOBALT  Yes, I too thought it might have been liquid paper, but after further considertion that seemed to make little sense. After all liquid paper only makes things go away and doesn't change anything, whereas nail polish tizzies things up real nice, better looking (or better named) than before. Wow, what a fascinating dialogue we are having here ... now if only the dev would weigh in with comments. ;-)  
(Version 4.6.32)

HENRIKTEKNIK  Thanks for pointing it out. I thought it looked like some kind of whine bottle opener or something (still, not a whine opener at all) ...

I think it's the very hard shadow under the actual brush "straws" that's been fooling me for all this long.

Now I feel enlightened. Tip-Ex/liquid paper it is!

And I can't do nothing but agree. This is one of those rare, "rich" conversations that really makes it worthwhile spending some time checking the "replies" section on MacUpdate comments.  
(Version 4.6.32)

KOBALT  Version 5 and still with the old icon ... I can't help wonder what's wrong with the devs ... or with Ozzpot's logo design ...  
(Version 5.0)

HENRIKTEKNIK  Still, again, after seeing Ozzpot's website, it's very hard to imagine his icon falling short in a comparison with the original icon design... d-:  
(Version 5.0)

HENRIKTEKNIK  Speaking of which. Out of curiosity, is it possible to have a glipse at the still unpublished design, Ozzpot?

This whole thing is starting to gain some serious momentum here... can't wait for the funeral ceremony of the original icon!  
(Version 5.0)

ARKHAM6  2008 is here and still the same fulgy icon.   
(Version 5.0.11)

OZZPOT  For those that want to see the icon I made, here it is:

http://ozzpot.com/stuff/Praat-256.png

The soundwave on the screen was actually made in, and exported from, Praat!

I would normally charge about US$300 for this type of thing, but did this one out of charity. They still won't take it though! Oh well, I tried... ;)  
(Version 5.0.13)

MACUPDATE ADMIN  Nice icon! Glad you posted the URL to it, I have been curious what your icon looked like. I guess it's just too glossy for the developers. Who knows. I'd use it, if it were up to me.  
(Version 5.0.13)

KOBALT  Ah, another new version of Praat! I have to admit I keep an eye out for each update - not because this app is in the least useful to me (mind, I'm not saying it's not useful at all!), but just to see what's happening (or not happening, as the case may be) with that icon ;)  
(Version 5.0.14)

ZANGIEF  I love the icon! ^_^ Using the current icon instead of this one is like choosing Paint over Photoshop… which is probably similar to what happened, actually.  
(Version 5.0.17)

PJN  Post your icon at www.xicon.com and make it public for users, so they can change the icon if they want to change it.  
(Version 5.0.23)

WOODEN BRAIN CONCEPTS  Yeah Ozzpot... why not just post your file as an .icns file and anyone can just paste a custom icon on the app or replace the .icns file in the package contents? personally i have no use for this but i always look for the icons discussion ;-)  
(Version 5.0.36)