5 ms·
I think Jony Ive lifted an entire industry and perhaps a generation to “good design” (and brought a lot more attention to Dieter Rams[0][1][2]). That we’re here
by bch 7y ago
I think Jony Ive lifted an entire industry and perhaps a generation to “good design” (and brought a lot more attention to Dieter Rams[0][1][2]). That we’re here talking about it (for the 3rd(?) time on HN front page) is a testament to that. That said, I think humans got lost in the process, at least occasionally, but not just recently. I don’t recall which models, but sometime the MacBooks adopted really sharp edges on the bottom slab - I found it uncomfortable to sit at (did my piano teacher have input, as a final “keep your wrists up!” order?). Or the orientationally challenged hockey-puck mouse[3]... Compare with the (not problem-free, mind) Thinkpad, which may seem more designed and exciting when you see it’s got a singular inspiration that they seem to have honoured for years[4] (how brave is that, to not change?).
I wonder if Apple didn’t feel self-imposed pressure to keep asserting its design dominance, and therefore look for ways to change. We’re all just armchair quarterbacks here though. in the end I think Jony Ive did more good than harm.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_Rams https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieter_Rams
[1] https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/apple-design-doesnt-fall-far-from-brauns-tree-176668 https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/apple-design-doesnt-fall-fa...
[2] https://youtu.be/YdVG4LcoY4Y https://youtu.be/YdVG4LcoY4Y
[3] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_USB_Mouse https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_USB_Mouse
[4] http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/the-japanese-essence-in-thinkpad-bento-boxes http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/the-japanese-essence-in-think...
- sundvor 7y agoThanks for #4, that was a great read. I'm still on my 2012 X1 Carbon and it's surprising how not dated it looks. I'll replace it with another when it breaks, but hoping it'll last until AMD gets properly into the laptop game.
- jorvi 7y agoBeauty really is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. To me, pretty much any modern Thinkpad[0] looks like 90s laptops[1] made out of crappy, flexing plastic whereas something as sleek as a MacBook Air[2] from the same year looks positively futuristic. If (when?) I jump ship I'll either get an XPS 13 or a T4XXs, and the only reason I'm undecided is because of Thinkpads their design, especially the gratuitous logo-ing. [0] https://cnet3.cbsistatic.com/img/rR1UdxX-DdlR2hDEoq3jjC30Nho=/470x376/2012/08/07/5fceb624-bb76-11e2-8a8e-0291187978f3/ThinkPad_X1_Carbon_35299011_05.jpg https://cnet3.cbsistatic.com/img/rR1UdxX-DdlR2hDEoq3jjC30Nho... [1] https://i.ibb.co/Krb07X4/8-C061277-2-A27-4204-BFAE-03-CFDEFD4-B61.jpg https://i.ibb.co/Krb07X4/8-C061277-2-A27-4204-BFAE-03-CFDEFD... [2] https://tweakers.net/i/4R_rvojQOTIskfm9fHVoeguxcPE=/1280x/filters:strip_icc()/v/2/0/2015384/3304874.jpg?f=imagegallery https://tweakers.net/i/4R_rvojQOTIskfm9fHVoeguxcPE=/1280x/fi...
- sfifs 7y agoSo... form over function? In my field (data analytics), a Mac indicates the user is in sales :-)
- jorvi 7y agoTo some degree? Certainly. Although there is research that people perform measurably better on attractive gear. Aside from that, I believe around a third of all GitHub commits originate from macOS. Perhaps form and function often go hand in hand :)
- tempguy9999 7y ago> Although there is research that people perform measurably better on attractive gear I've an interest in ergonomics, if you could ref this study I'd be very interested.
- jorvi 7y agohttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687009001148 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000368700... and https://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~pcairns/pubs/ChawdaCraftCairns.pdf https://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~pcairns/pubs/ChawdaCraftCai... are good starting points. The essence is that people rate appealing devices as better performing, even if they factually work identical. Due to that halo effect they will perform on them better. The second source points out that if you measure something like 'type these 100 words' there will be no factual performance difference between appealing and unappealing devices, but on a higher level it does lead to things like more creative thinking. My own guess would be pretty much what the studies say: people enjoy using appealing devices more, which leads to aggregate benefits: less stress which leads to more creative thinking, more use of the device, the device is better maintained, etc.
- tempguy9999 7y agoThat's new! And interesting. Thanks.
- gxx 7y agoThe sharp edges are a crystal clear example of Ive's pursuit of form over function. It's insane to have sharp edges that users may touch with their wrists, especially the sharp points on each side of the cutout below the trackpad. Ever since Macbooks had that "feature" I've been rounding off the edges with fine sandpaper and then polishing them. It's a wonderful improvement.
- ksec 7y agoAre they really "Sharp"? They don't cut me or hurt in anyway. Or is that the new 2016+ MBP? I am still on the best 2015 MBP at the moment.
- muro 7y agoMy wrists hurt badly when I was using the 2015 MBP. I was probably "holding it wrong", but still, putting a sharp edge there...
- tvanantwerp 7y agoI cut myself on my iMac just this morning while trying to reposition it on my desk...