Oct 24 2008
The Passing of an Old Friend
Part of my recent presentation on Universe Designer was a listing of new features for XI 3.0. I will be writing about each of these features individually in some upcoming blog posts. But there is one change that I didn’t include in my presentation, and it involves the passing of an old friend that has been with us since 1996.
I am talking about this: 
For whatever reason, Business Objects has decided that our beloved icons for dimensions, details, and measures all needed an overhaul for the 3.0 release. The new icon for measures looks like an orange ruler. I get it… a ruler can be used to measure things. But I liked the pink marble. It was one of my favorite “bits” for training classes. In order to explain the icons and how they work, I would say something like this:
Dimension objects are blue cubes. Cubes can be stacked up like a bunch of boxes. As you stack them up, you’re forming a hierarchy of data elements that can then be drilled.
Details objects are detailed data “points” and therefore they get a sharp and pointed pyramid shape.
Measures project on the report, meaning they “roll up” based on a defined functions. Marbles roll, so we have a marble icon to represent all of our measures.
See how well that works? ๐
What’s interesting is that only the object icons are changed. Some of the Designer buttons (like Integrity Check) have not been updated so they still show the marble.
The new dimensions are still blue, but they don’t stack anymore. They look more like a diamond than a square box. Details are still green and are the closest to what they were before. But measures… our marble is gone, replaced by the (in my opinion) much less interesting ruler. To the right is a screen shot showing the new icons in the Web Intelligence Rich Client interface.
Oh well, at least I can get one last horrible pun out of my system at the expense of Business Objects…
They have truly lost their marbles. ๐
Sadly, you have made my day.
When are the BOB user icons getting updated?
( ๐ @Jamie )
As to when we will update the BOB user icons? Never, I say, Never! They can have my marbles when they pry them from my… well, you know the rest of the phrase.
I am sad to see the pink marble is gone. I met the pink marble 2.5 years ago, and it has been with me through thick-n-thin. Even though I must adapt to the yellow ruler (so, predictable), the pink marble will always be with me in spirit.
Do not worry my friends, I will find others to console with me this weekend…and hopefully, they will understand my loss and not think I am crazy. I will do my best to constrain my feelings, avoid raving on how the yellow ruler mastered the pink marble to its death.
Now, do not get me talking about รขโฌหskewedรขโฌโข blue cubes…what has this world come too!?!
Oh, its a ruler – I get it now…..you have to wonder some times…
Welcome, Janice, and thank you for your comment. I hope you made it through the weekend okay. ๐
Nick, I was at one demonstration where the speaker called it a “gold bar” because it was a representation of something of value.
I mentioned this to a co-worker, and her response was along the lines of, “Why would they waste time on this? Don’t they have better things to fix?” ๐
Dave,
Thanks for explaining that it’s a ruler. I just thought it was a dumb rectangle. My biggest gripe is that it is too similar in color to predefined conditions (see http://dallasmarks.blogspot.com/2008/08/business-objects-xi-30-hits-and-misses_24.html). Count me in – let’s start a campaign to bring back the pink marble!
Yes, I agree with what your co-worker told. Why are they seriously wasting their precious time on these silly things, instead of doing something useful?
Dave,
Am new to your blog.. ๐ very intresting posts -;)
Have been using BOBJ for quite a few years now..but never struck to me that I have lost the nice marbles…till I read your post…-:)
Have you manged to stack up the diamonds yet ?
Cheers,
No, no, no – I’m devastated – I have been using BO since 1996 and I love the pink marble!
I agree with Jansi and your co-worker about wasting time – also so many of the logos have the pink marble even the Designer logos and such like – what a waste of energy!