Why is "Right" forward? In Western languages you read and write from LEFT to RIGHT. That's a movement in the "right" direction. That's "forward." It's what the market is used to. It's what any UI consultant will tell you. It's "natural."

When you put in a screw, you turn clockwise. That moves the screw FORWARD (away from you). When you turn the dial on an older TV, you turn clockwise to move forward through the channels.


Ok, good examples.

So what about users from countries who write right->left?
And I for one never think of forward/back when it comes to TV channels. I think up/down. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a rotary TV channel knob increase the channel number when you turn it clockwise??