No, it's not correct. The author's argument is that you absolutely should not use pure black in design because it's "unnatural". The false assumption he's makin

No, it's not correct. The author's argument is that you absolutely should not use pure black in design because it's "unnatural". The false assumption he's making is that artwork and designed objects or interfaces should be natural, and even that is based on a very specific definition of natural. What's natural about a computer or an LCD display? Even the best devices are comprised of "very striking unnatural structures with aggressive, sharp edges". The author supports his argument with artwork, photography, and applications that are no more natural or effective than the ones I linked (oh, and how about Ansel Adams http://www.anseladams.com/ http://www.anseladams.com/? A legendary nature photographer — his images are full of deep blacks.) It's a matter of personal preference. Telling inexperienced designers to "Never Use Black" just isn't sound advice. I would sooner advise designers to work only in black and white. Design a great application in black and white, and then begin working with color and tone when black and white aren't enough. A more appropriate, though less provocative title for this article would be, "Shadows Aren't Always Black".