Analog time

Compared to the numbered digital display there is something more human and approachable about the analog clock. The challenge of displaying the time on ollicle.com with a friendly face and hands demonstrated why I hadn’t seen this any other blogs. Like most clocks, they look simple, but look behind the face and there is a complicated mesh of gears and springs.

I’ll post details of what makes them tick for anyone else who might want to wander down a similar path – but not before they get some further refinement.

10:40PM

The little clocks that now appear here in their appropriate locations need work. I can see that they are demanding at least an additional half-hour position for the hour hand, it needs to be closer to the following hour after the first half hour. And there is room for more contrast between the hour and minute hands.

Regardless of their shortcomings I like them. They are little information rich bullets punctuating the entries, and as a bonus provided me with a fun set of puzzles to solve in their construction. I vote to that they stay.

Further thoughts

12 January 2006

More about the making of these clocks here.

4 April 2010

These icons have got lost in the wash in my latest site upgrade. Someday I may do the work to build something to take their place.