Good usability doesn't try to change for different kinds of users, except in extreme cases such as expert systems. For most applications, it's best to find one approach that will work across the board.
In this case, icons, although they may look nice, should always be accompanied by text. Giving users options is an admission of failure, because it means the UI designers weren't able to come up with a single consistent solution that works.
> In this case, icons, although they may look nice, should always be accompanied by text.
So right. Icons are too ambiguous for across-the-board use as Google has been implementing.
In this case, icons, although they may look nice, should always be accompanied by text. Giving users options is an admission of failure, because it means the UI designers weren't able to come up with a single consistent solution that works.