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I'm not at all looking forward the future where "conveniences" provided by operating systems (like consistent GUI styling, preferences, accessibility, etc) are

I'm not at all looking forward the future where "conveniences" provided by operating systems (like consistent GUI styling, preferences, accessibility, etc) are thrown by the wayside and each application effectively re-implements a GUI targeting a canvas "framebuffer".

therealdrag0 5y ago
The future is now.
flohofwoe 5y ago
That ship has sailed for at least a decade, and DCC applications like Photoshop or Maya were the forerunners of custom UIs.
linguae 5y ago
That day is already here and has been around for quite a while. Even before the proliferation of Electron applications there has been a push away from UI consistency in desktop environments. I believe the reasons are a combination of the following factors: - Easier cross-platform support easier for developers - "Branding" concerns - A philosophy that the app, not the operating system, is central to the user experience; one consequence is there's a strong emphasis on having that app behave as similar as possible across platforms even when the app's behavior violates the platform's UI guidelines. I lament the decline of the idea of a native desktop with an ecosystem of conformant applications. However, I see the economic incentives for writing cross-platform applications that emphasize consistency across platforms instead of consistency with each platform's UI standards. As long as we have app-centered desktop environments, the only way I see native applications that are conformant to that platform's UI standards being promoted is through market demand. Historically Mac users have shunned software that doesn't conform to the Mac's UI guidelines, though this may be changing in recent years thanks to the rise of Electron and Catalyst.
copperx 5y ago
I wouldn't despair, because if the past serves as a guide, unwritten conventions will be followed by most.

therealdrag0 5y ago

The future is now.

flohofwoe 5y ago

That ship has sailed for at least a decade, and DCC applications like Photoshop or Maya were the forerunners of custom UIs.

linguae 5y ago

That day is already here and has been around for quite a while. Even before the proliferation of Electron applications there has been a push away from UI consistency in desktop environments. I believe the reasons are a combination of the following factors: - Easier cross-platform support easier for developers - "Branding" concerns - A philosophy that the app, not the operating system, is central to the user experience; one consequence is there's a strong emphasis on having that app behave as similar as possible across platforms even when the app's behavior violates the platform's UI guidelines. I lament the decline of the idea of a native desktop with an ecosystem of conformant applications. However, I see the economic incentives for writing cross-platform applications that emphasize consistency across platforms instead of consistency with each platform's UI standards. As long as we have app-centered desktop environments, the only way I see native applications that are conformant to that platform's UI standards being promoted is through market demand. Historically Mac users have shunned software that doesn't conform to the Mac's UI guidelines, though this may be changing in recent years thanks to the rise of Electron and Catalyst.

copperx 5y ago

I wouldn't despair, because if the past serves as a guide, unwritten conventions will be followed by most.