3 ms·

This beautifully summed up a lot of what I've been thinking about Liquid Glass since I first saw it. A lot of it doesn't really make sense - in an effort to mak

by cnrad 1y ago

This beautifully summed up a lot of what I've been thinking about Liquid Glass since I first saw it. A lot of it doesn't really make sense - in an effort to make usability clearer, they are designing everything to look the same and create more empty space for... vibes? As the years have gone on, it feels like computers are slowly losing every ounce of personality they once had. Software should be delightful to use! Computers felt fun! I'm hoping we eventually get through this minimal/bland era of UI design and come back around to design with a little creativity. It feels like Apple is trying to subtly introduce the concept of spatial UI for the future, where the norm will be to have controls and content on separate "layers" - but I don't think it should come at a cost of sacrificing the interfaces we already have.

ctkhn 1y ago
I agree, and I'm frustrated this is the new big update because it seems like liquid glass ate up most of the energy that might have gone to a real major feature. Not only is it just UI changes, it looks worse.
damiante 1y ago
I see the same sort of thing happening in housing, and I think it's because the nature of the thing has changed. Houses used to be for families; they were often quirky or strange or emergent, with weird layouts or materials. They may have garish wallpapers or floor to ceiling wood panelling. But these touches were reflective of the personalities of the owners. They met the needs of the specific people who inhabited them. Nowadays, as houses are more of a commodity, they must be generic. All flat white interiors, straight corners, no cornicing or archetraves or plasterwork or anything to give the home a unique character. Instead it must be a blank canvas such that any inhabitant can put his own things inside it to make it his. Computers are the same; what was once a niche product for enthusiasts and businesses has now become an instrumental part of nearly every moment of nearly everyone's lives. Thus they also must be generic and same-y, with limited avenues for superficial customisation, so that they can be interchanged or upgraded without jarring the user against the new version or device. Personally I prefer radical customisation and quirkiness. I find it charming. But it seems that those who are designing (or perhaps only selling) the things disagree with me.
- nixpulvis 1y ago
  When we all occupy subcultures the macro culture becomes a shell. The least common denominator wins.
- kulahan 1y ago
  Not that I have much of a bone in this fight - I already own a home and don’t plan to ever move (which makes this especially easy for me to say) but generic, identical housing is probably going to be essential moving forward. One of the reasons we haven’t found a way to make home construction faster is because every single project is about as unique as can be. Not to mention, there are still billions of people needing housing, and with the climate situation we’re already in, building billions of unique homes will make the problem a LOT worse. Again, I don’t really care much about the issue, but I just think it’s worthwhile to remind people that the American way of life (which developing nations aspire to) is absolutely untenable as far as all modern as currently-feasible technology is concerned. Maybe we could live with not being expressive just on the outside of our houses specifically?
  - GlacierFox 1y ago
    Yeah we need those identical brutalist and easy to build concrete housing estates like on A Clockwork Orange. Or a cookie cutter surrealist hellscape like in Edward Scissor hands. Sounds lovely.
    - kulahan 1y ago
      Wow you actually cannot conceive of something between these two extremes?
      - GlacierFox 1y ago
        Those aren't two extremes. They're alternate versions of design on the same end of the spectrum. Anything in between is likely to be just as off putting, featureless and lacking in character.
  - 1y ago
freedomben 1y ago
> It feels like Apple is trying to subtly introduce the concept of spatial UI for the future Fascinating observation! Speculation of course, but I think you nailed it, and this really helps me understand why they've done this

by cnrad 1y ago

ctkhn 1y ago

I agree, and I'm frustrated this is the new big update because it seems like liquid glass ate up most of the energy that might have gone to a real major feature. Not only is it just UI changes, it looks worse.

damiante 1y ago

I see the same sort of thing happening in housing, and I think it's because the nature of the thing has changed. Houses used to be for families; they were often quirky or strange or emergent, with weird layouts or materials. They may have garish wallpapers or floor to ceiling wood panelling. But these touches were reflective of the personalities of the owners. They met the needs of the specific people who inhabited them. Nowadays, as houses are more of a commodity, they must be generic. All flat white interiors, straight corners, no cornicing or archetraves or plasterwork or anything to give the home a unique character. Instead it must be a blank canvas such that any inhabitant can put his own things inside it to make it his. Computers are the same; what was once a niche product for enthusiasts and businesses has now become an instrumental part of nearly every moment of nearly everyone's lives. Thus they also must be generic and same-y, with limited avenues for superficial customisation, so that they can be interchanged or upgraded without jarring the user against the new version or device. Personally I prefer radical customisation and quirkiness. I find it charming. But it seems that those who are designing (or perhaps only selling) the things disagree with me.

nixpulvis 1y ago
When we all occupy subcultures the macro culture becomes a shell. The least common denominator wins.
kulahan 1y ago
Not that I have much of a bone in this fight - I already own a home and don’t plan to ever move (which makes this especially easy for me to say) but generic, identical housing is probably going to be essential moving forward. One of the reasons we haven’t found a way to make home construction faster is because every single project is about as unique as can be. Not to mention, there are still billions of people needing housing, and with the climate situation we’re already in, building billions of unique homes will make the problem a LOT worse. Again, I don’t really care much about the issue, but I just think it’s worthwhile to remind people that the American way of life (which developing nations aspire to) is absolutely untenable as far as all modern as currently-feasible technology is concerned. Maybe we could live with not being expressive just on the outside of our houses specifically?
- GlacierFox 1y ago
  Yeah we need those identical brutalist and easy to build concrete housing estates like on A Clockwork Orange. Or a cookie cutter surrealist hellscape like in Edward Scissor hands. Sounds lovely.
  - kulahan 1y ago
    Wow you actually cannot conceive of something between these two extremes?
    - GlacierFox 1y ago
      Those aren't two extremes. They're alternate versions of design on the same end of the spectrum. Anything in between is likely to be just as off putting, featureless and lacking in character.
- 1y ago

freedomben 1y ago

> It feels like Apple is trying to subtly introduce the concept of spatial UI for the future Fascinating observation! Speculation of course, but I think you nailed it, and this really helps me understand why they've done this