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Thanks for the feedback! I'm planning a few changes pending feedback right now: - Removing the glitch navigation on the top nav bar. People seem to think it's
by wkyleg 3y ago
Thanks for the feedback!
I'm planning a few changes pending feedback right now:
- Removing the glitch navigation on the top nav bar. People seem to think it's too annoying, and I will concede it's not technically Brutalist although it only takes a few lines of CSS
- Changing the default theme to one of the greyscale themes, which are easier to read and arguably more functionally brutalist, and more aligned with the aesthetics of concrete Brutalist architecture
- Better handling of back button on Android devices
- A color theme inspired by Windows 3.1
To address concerns about whether this design is truly brutalist I recommend first revisiting the principles of Brutalist Web Design, as well as more contemporary usages of the term.
The most notable description was set forth by David Bryant Copeland (see https://brutalist-web.design https://brutalist-web.design):
- Content is readable on all reasonable screens and devices.
- Only hyperlinks and buttons respond to clicks.
- Hyperlinks are underlined and buttons look like buttons.
- The back button works as expected.
- View content by scrolling.
- Decoration when needed and no unrelated content.
- Performance is a feature.
Another common interpretation of brutalism is aesthetic, reacting to overly complicated user interfaces by creating simpler, more direct ones. Tailwind CSS (https://tailwindcss.com https://tailwindcss.com), one of today's most popular CSS libraries, promotes this approach in its component examples. There's also a neat library I've seen recently called "Neobrutalism Components" for React that I like (https://neobrutalism-components.vercel.app https://neobrutalism-components.vercel.app), providing components with a similar look and feel to Gumroad. This might more accurately be called 'Neo-Brutalism,' as noted in the comments.
A more engineering-centric interpretation of Brutalism focuses on form, structure, and efficiency, drawing significantly from brutalist architecture principles. Apart from the user interface itself, most mobile, desktop, and web applications are extremely bloated and often perform worse than sites from 10 years ago did. While one HTML file might be "less brutalist" than the original HN site, it is substantially more brutalist than any HN mobile app in existence, and offers nearly identical functionality.
A broader interpretation of brutalism, which could be termed 'Meta-Brutalism,' is embodied in the overall experience on this site through UX flows. Yes, in the strictest sense, the original HN site is more Brutalist in many ways, but it only shows 30 articles at a time and does not function as a PWA. For this site, the experience of reading 10 stories is arguably less brutalist, but for quickly browsing through several pages and skimming articles (which is how I read HN) it is a lot faster, and in my opinion, more Brutalist.
My primary inspiration was addressing software and tool bloat in UIs rather than strictly adhering to every principle set forth by David Bryant Copeland. I don't find it convincing that this site "isn't brutalist" compared to really any other experience apart from the Main HN site, and I would argue the overall experience is more brutalist in its performance and scrolling behavior.
As a side note: I generally don't like Brutalist architecture that much although I believe it is unfairly maligned. I visited the Salk Institute once and enjoyed it though (https://www.archdaily.com/61288/ad-classics-salk-institute-louis-kahn https://www.archdaily.com/61288/ad-classics-salk-institute-l...).
- NikolaNovak 3y ago>>The back button works as expected Hmm on Android it doesn't. Chrome on Samsung galaxy note. I am using the standard built-in back gesture/button on bottom right of phone UI. It works on all other sites including of course HN, but it does not take me from comment page back to list page on your site - FYI, FWIW :)
- wkyleg 3y agoYes, I need to fix this part. I don't use Android often and I missed this in testing. The top close button does work though
- keepamovin 3y agoHuman! Don't get rid of the colors! Are you changing it because people are criticizing it as not 'concrete' enough? Who cares! You created what you want. Stick with that! Trust that! Let their concrete minds come around to it in time, or not. Stick with trust yourself! I know the criticism on HN can be brutal, but don't back down. Use it to solidify your stance, not to pander to armchair commenters in the stands, who aren't invested, who aren't playing on the field. Go your own way! Fuck their greyness hahaha! :) (unless you really want that for you, but do you? Because you created colors. You don't have to be what they say is wrong. They're wrong, because they don't see it. Just because they can't stretch their minds, don't give in. Stay your stance, and you can even consider: that's the way to honor the better part of them, by not giving in to their worst natures, by retaining the opportunity of your original art to stretch their minds.) You got people losing their minds over a website? You're winning! Don't back down now. Ride that storm!!!
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- wkyleg 3y agoThanks! I didn’t no so many people would be offended by this but perhaps that’s a sign that it’s working I was actually planning on switching to grey already. The colors come from a version of this I made 7 years ago https://minimal-hn.firebaseapp.com/ https://minimal-hn.firebaseapp.com/ that this project came out of I did want to honor the colors of the original project, but I also have genuine concerns with accessibility and would like the default theme to be more accessible. I also like some of the grayscale themes, they remains me somewhat of 80s Macs