BETA
Design Technique2004 – 2012
The Perpetual "Beta" Badge
Caption
Corner ribbons and glossy green badges that declared products permanently in beta.
Historical Impact
A widespread Web 2.0 visual trope — not tied to any single app. Gmail, Flickr, and countless startups wore semi-ironic Beta ribbons for years, signaling constant iteration and startup velocity. The badge became an era emblem as recognizable as the RSS orange icon.