Fashion and automobile design are quite mature fields, though, compared to human machine interfaces. This is reflected in the fact that most changes in digital

Fashion and automobile design are quite mature fields, though, compared to human machine interfaces. This is reflected in the fact that most changes in digital interfaces include shifts in terms of functionality. These kinds of changes are very rare in fashion: pants (either BE or AE) all work mostly the same -- and so do cars. The choices made seem to affect mostly aesthetics as opposed to functions. I guess it's possible that at some point the major interface methods will be standardized to such a degree that future changes will be aesthetic, to avoid putting off people, if nothing else. For instance, there was considerable resistance to MS changing the functional interface of Office not too long ago. But even mature consumer interfaces such as windowing systems continue to introduce additional functionality, although I guess some might characterize those changes as mere window dressing (heh), as well. Some computer interfaces do head towards what some conceive to be the true answer, with a slow stream of incremental improvements, e.g. the Unix shell. But that's a professional interface subject to other kinds of pressures than consumer technology. IANAD.