In my recent course on HCI, I've been told that start button on Windows systems is an example of poor mapping. The reason for that, as explained in materials, is that it doesn't start anything, but rather reveals a menu. I think that this is only valid if you approaching this from low level of abstraction (meaning that the button must start something).

If you on the other hand take a view on this from higher level of abstraction, as of "Place where I start most of my tasks", i.e.

1. This is the place where you are start*ing the task of switching off your computer
2. This is the place where you are start*ing the task of searching for something on your computer
3. This is the place where you are start*ing the task of running a program
4. This is the place where you are start*ing the task ...

Then I think it makes perfect sense and has perfect mapping.

Is this a sensible interpretation?