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I love these UI type reads. Very interesting. Can I ask a quick poll. Who favours the UI of modern software (all types) vs older software (all types)? I gene

I love these UI type reads. Very interesting. Can I ask a quick poll. Who favours the UI of modern software (all types) vs older software (all types)? I generally think we are going down hill. So it OLDER for me!

laythea 8y ago
OLDER
- java-man 8y ago
  Algol 68 nailed it.
Synaesthesia 8y ago
Mac OS has improved with time, and so has Windows IMO. Windows XP looks pretty horrible in its default skin.
- mixmastamyk 8y ago
  But was clean and intuitive when switched to classic. On the whole modern interfaces are not better and sometimes worse.
britch 8y ago
That is so broad... it's hard to answer. Bad design is consistent, but it's easier to remember the good stuff from way back when then the bad. Can you give more details on what you consider modern design and what you consider older design?
- laythea 8y ago
  I'm talking about the trends as you see it. Everyone will see the trends differently off course, but I suppose there would be some commonality. For me the user interface has been dumbed down in almost all modern software. Microsoft, apple etc. They are all at it! The UI of older software assumes a more knowledgeable user, which, being a more knowledgeable user, drives my preference. I liked the win95/2000 era of UI.
qt4apologist 8y ago
To me, it's not newer vs. older. Things like flat design and skeuomorphism can work just fine if they follow the principles of human interface design. The problem I see is that we seem to be drifting away from those principles in a lot of ways. Major OSes seem to be worse at having consistent interfaces. Trying to make desktop interfaces work like the constrained screens of phones and tablet by hiding scrollbars, etc. is a step back. Useful animations are a step forward, but useless and slow animations are a step back. However, web interfaces have gotten better since the death of Flash. They're not perfect, or maybe even good, but they're much better than previously. So it's a mixed bag. I prefer modern web design to that of the past, but prefer older OS design to the present mostly.
amyjess 8y ago
Older. I strongly prefer the aesthetic of Win9x, Mac OS 8/9, and NeXTSTEP to what's popular today. In fact, I use QtCurve on my desktop to get pretty close to that aesthetic for any KDE/Qt programs I use.

laythea 8y ago

OLDER

java-man 8y ago
Algol 68 nailed it.

Synaesthesia 8y ago

Mac OS has improved with time, and so has Windows IMO. Windows XP looks pretty horrible in its default skin.

mixmastamyk 8y ago
But was clean and intuitive when switched to classic. On the whole modern interfaces are not better and sometimes worse.

britch 8y ago

That is so broad... it's hard to answer. Bad design is consistent, but it's easier to remember the good stuff from way back when then the bad. Can you give more details on what you consider modern design and what you consider older design?

laythea 8y ago
I'm talking about the trends as you see it. Everyone will see the trends differently off course, but I suppose there would be some commonality. For me the user interface has been dumbed down in almost all modern software. Microsoft, apple etc. They are all at it! The UI of older software assumes a more knowledgeable user, which, being a more knowledgeable user, drives my preference. I liked the win95/2000 era of UI.

qt4apologist 8y ago

To me, it's not newer vs. older. Things like flat design and skeuomorphism can work just fine if they follow the principles of human interface design. The problem I see is that we seem to be drifting away from those principles in a lot of ways. Major OSes seem to be worse at having consistent interfaces. Trying to make desktop interfaces work like the constrained screens of phones and tablet by hiding scrollbars, etc. is a step back. Useful animations are a step forward, but useless and slow animations are a step back. However, web interfaces have gotten better since the death of Flash. They're not perfect, or maybe even good, but they're much better than previously. So it's a mixed bag. I prefer modern web design to that of the past, but prefer older OS design to the present mostly.

amyjess 8y ago

Older. I strongly prefer the aesthetic of Win9x, Mac OS 8/9, and NeXTSTEP to what's popular today. In fact, I use QtCurve on my desktop to get pretty close to that aesthetic for any KDE/Qt programs I use.