6 ms·

Based on the positive responses here, I think I might be the only one who doesn't fancy decorations, whether it's sci-fi or in any form in user interface design

Based on the positive responses here, I think I might be the only one who doesn't fancy decorations, whether it's sci-fi or in any form in user interface design - victorian ornamentation, steampunk brass, vaporware aesthetics, etc - they're all artistic endeavors - I think it's fun to explore these and even use them to achieve a particular objective, but I wonder how much of it influences serious designers whose responsibility is to produce functional, objective, straight forward UI that gets the job done. For example, SpaceX cockpit design and the amount of sci-fi influence with touchscreens vs. say F-15 Cockpit (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23702560 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23702560) which I personally consider as the epitome of interface design. Not directly comparing them, but comparing the underlying philosophy and approach towards UI. It's not to say that aesthetics itself is a problem, IMO when aesthetics emerge automatically from solving a problem (F-15 philosophy) is far more beautiful, appealing and pleasing, than aesthetics that is forced by the designer's personal taste and then trying to solve the UI problems within that framework (biting on SpaceX again). Amazing work nevertheless in terms of its artistic appeal.

thw0rted 6y ago
You are not alone. This framework is a kind of neat idea if your top three priorities are all "man this looks cool". If you actually want to make anything usable, look elsewhere. ETA: also, a web page should make sounds in exactly one situation, which is when I click the "play" button on a music track or a video. ETA: also also, I clicked through to the author's personal blog, build with the framework, and scrolling thunks to a halt every time I go down to a new item, I guess while it's being dynamically loaded then animating into view. Barf.
itronitron 6y ago
It's important to note that most popular 'sci-fi/futuristic' styles aren't based on any perceptual studies so may be quite bad choices from an artistic viewpoint of the UI itself. In particular, blue text on a dark background requires much more effort to read than white on dark. Most of the design choices for UIs in movies are made to ensure they fit the overall aesthetic of the movie, and not because they are good user interface design.
- neilpanchal 6y ago
  Precisely. Those choices (made for entertainment purposes) infiltrate into the general masses through insane popularity of movies --> into the designer's personal taste through exposure since childhood ---> then those designers get employed at various medical, industrial, military, etc. fields and they try to put aesthetics/taste before everything else ---> decision makers in these companies also love it because it appeals to their childhood influence and taste too ---> sub-optimal UI goes into production which influences more designers to follow the trend. We love shiny things. This strawman is pretty tall and perhaps I am just getting old and grumpy :).
- outworlder 6y ago
  > In particular, blue text on a dark background requires much more effort to read than white on dark Use green on dark, then. Or amber.
  - Aeolun 6y ago
    Amber on black is fairly good I think. At least compared to green or white.
medium_burrito 6y ago
I strongly agree. My ideal for user interfaces would be something where the user can skin everything to look like they want it. For example, imagine the web browser version of winamp... a page has text, images, links, and that's it- the browser displays it according to your skin.
- pbronez 6y ago
  Isn’t this the entire point of CSS? And perhaps Semantic HTML as well?
  - johnlorentzson 6y ago
    No, CSS is for the website designer to design the page. The point is that every page should conform to the users preferences automatically.
resu_nimda 6y ago
It really depends on the context and the use cases. The F-15 cockpit is an extreme example of a very complex interface that needs to be highly performant under intense life-or-death conditions. Most UIs that people design, including this library, are not meant for anything remotely similar to those situations. A lot of times it's mostly for consuming content. That video of the F-15 actually features a lot of overlay UI elements that are very similar to this project's sci-fi style. Did you lament that, or wonder if that functional uselessness was influencing the designers of the airplane? Or did it make for a better viewing experience than barebones labels with no animations? I can't speak to the SpaceX cockpit and how well it performs the job it was intended to, do you know of any testimony from people who have used it? I have to believe that they would put function over form for something like that, but that doesn't mean that form has no place either, they are definitely aiming for the lofty goal of achieving both.
- gcpwnd 6y ago
  The most enjoyable interfaces in games are often simple, functional and still match the theme. Yet many games go over the top with fancy artwork and god forbid time stealing animations. There is definitely a point in trying to stick to the setting with the UI, but it is a thin line.
- neilpanchal 6y ago
  Not sure, but it is hard to deny that Elon's personal taste in building everything "sexy" has something to do with it. I think you're delving into the details and you're making valid points, I am mostly talking about the philosophy and approach in an abstract sense. It's fine to use this library. Otherwise, the world would be a totally unremarkable place. If you consider the central point I was trying to make, to re-emphasize is that I wonder how much of influence do things like sci-fi aesthetics makes in designing serious products [1][2] (I suspect that it is widespread). [1] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61cGhQ0begL._SL1024_.jpg https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61cGhQ0begL... [2] https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1*eW4danopMOoMxEr5GBRZOA.png https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1*eW4danopMOoMxEr5GBRZOA.png
  - 6y ago
cpill 6y ago
Really dude?! Your taking the "Futuristic Sci-Fi / Cyberpunk Graphical User Interface Framework" seriously?
- jayd16 6y ago
  "I find running a k8s cluster on a raspberry pi to be inconvenient. I prefer a desktop or server class CPU if possible."
outworlder 6y ago
Counterpoint: the Cirrus Vision Jet cockpit - https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Gex47yq7K8/maxresdefault.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Gex47yq7K8/maxresdefault.jpg Whether or not the design elements there can be considered 'decorations' is subjective. It is much cleaner, automation took over most 'boring' things which required a myriad of buttons on the F-15. Like engine startup, it's a single button. The F-18 already improves on that. Or even an F-35. https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOmPM403VOo/XLiqWC0ubTI/AAAAAAAABCs/B_gMNmcFaYAozMpN2p7lG0PD4o_1mrehwCEwYBhgL/s640/F-35-Lightning-II-cockpit.JPG https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOmPM403VOo/XLiqWC0ubTI/AAAAAAAAB... I could pretty much do the F-35 (assuming that's a real image) with this library, given some CSS and font tweaking. Only the animations would be different. And serious software can have animations if it helps enhance understanding.

thw0rted 6y ago

You are not alone. This framework is a kind of neat idea if your top three priorities are all "man this looks cool". If you actually want to make anything usable, look elsewhere. ETA: also, a web page should make sounds in exactly one situation, which is when I click the "play" button on a music track or a video. ETA: also also, I clicked through to the author's personal blog, build with the framework, and scrolling thunks to a halt every time I go down to a new item, I guess while it's being dynamically loaded then animating into view. Barf.

itronitron 6y ago

It's important to note that most popular 'sci-fi/futuristic' styles aren't based on any perceptual studies so may be quite bad choices from an artistic viewpoint of the UI itself. In particular, blue text on a dark background requires much more effort to read than white on dark. Most of the design choices for UIs in movies are made to ensure they fit the overall aesthetic of the movie, and not because they are good user interface design.

neilpanchal 6y ago
Precisely. Those choices (made for entertainment purposes) infiltrate into the general masses through insane popularity of movies --> into the designer's personal taste through exposure since childhood ---> then those designers get employed at various medical, industrial, military, etc. fields and they try to put aesthetics/taste before everything else ---> decision makers in these companies also love it because it appeals to their childhood influence and taste too ---> sub-optimal UI goes into production which influences more designers to follow the trend. We love shiny things. This strawman is pretty tall and perhaps I am just getting old and grumpy :).
outworlder 6y ago
> In particular, blue text on a dark background requires much more effort to read than white on dark Use green on dark, then. Or amber.
- Aeolun 6y ago
  Amber on black is fairly good I think. At least compared to green or white.

medium_burrito 6y ago

I strongly agree. My ideal for user interfaces would be something where the user can skin everything to look like they want it. For example, imagine the web browser version of winamp... a page has text, images, links, and that's it- the browser displays it according to your skin.

pbronez 6y ago
Isn’t this the entire point of CSS? And perhaps Semantic HTML as well?
- johnlorentzson 6y ago
  No, CSS is for the website designer to design the page. The point is that every page should conform to the users preferences automatically.

resu_nimda 6y ago

It really depends on the context and the use cases. The F-15 cockpit is an extreme example of a very complex interface that needs to be highly performant under intense life-or-death conditions. Most UIs that people design, including this library, are not meant for anything remotely similar to those situations. A lot of times it's mostly for consuming content. That video of the F-15 actually features a lot of overlay UI elements that are very similar to this project's sci-fi style. Did you lament that, or wonder if that functional uselessness was influencing the designers of the airplane? Or did it make for a better viewing experience than barebones labels with no animations? I can't speak to the SpaceX cockpit and how well it performs the job it was intended to, do you know of any testimony from people who have used it? I have to believe that they would put function over form for something like that, but that doesn't mean that form has no place either, they are definitely aiming for the lofty goal of achieving both.

gcpwnd 6y ago
The most enjoyable interfaces in games are often simple, functional and still match the theme. Yet many games go over the top with fancy artwork and god forbid time stealing animations. There is definitely a point in trying to stick to the setting with the UI, but it is a thin line.
neilpanchal 6y ago
Not sure, but it is hard to deny that Elon's personal taste in building everything "sexy" has something to do with it. I think you're delving into the details and you're making valid points, I am mostly talking about the philosophy and approach in an abstract sense. It's fine to use this library. Otherwise, the world would be a totally unremarkable place. If you consider the central point I was trying to make, to re-emphasize is that I wonder how much of influence do things like sci-fi aesthetics makes in designing serious products [1][2] (I suspect that it is widespread). [1] https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61cGhQ0begL._SL1024_.jpg https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61cGhQ0begL... [2] https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1*eW4danopMOoMxEr5GBRZOA.png https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1*eW4danopMOoMxEr5GBRZOA.png
- 6y ago

cpill 6y ago

Really dude?! Your taking the "Futuristic Sci-Fi / Cyberpunk Graphical User Interface Framework" seriously?

jayd16 6y ago
"I find running a k8s cluster on a raspberry pi to be inconvenient. I prefer a desktop or server class CPU if possible."

outworlder 6y ago

Counterpoint: the Cirrus Vision Jet cockpit - https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Gex47yq7K8/maxresdefault.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Gex47yq7K8/maxresdefault.jpg Whether or not the design elements there can be considered 'decorations' is subjective. It is much cleaner, automation took over most 'boring' things which required a myriad of buttons on the F-15. Like engine startup, it's a single button. The F-18 already improves on that. Or even an F-35. https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOmPM403VOo/XLiqWC0ubTI/AAAAAAAABCs/B_gMNmcFaYAozMpN2p7lG0PD4o_1mrehwCEwYBhgL/s640/F-35-Lightning-II-cockpit.JPG https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOmPM403VOo/XLiqWC0ubTI/AAAAAAAAB... I could pretty much do the F-35 (assuming that's a real image) with this library, given some CSS and font tweaking. Only the animations would be different. And serious software can have animations if it helps enhance understanding.