Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 22nd Jul 2012 17:05 UTC
Mike Elgan at Cult of Mac: "It must surely be a sign of the impending apocalypse that Microsoft's operating systems have 'more taste' than Apple's. I'm referring, of course, to Apple's inexplicable use of skeuomorphic design in iOS and OS X apps, and contrasting that with Microsoft's stark avoidance of such cheesy gimmickry in the Windows 8 and Windows Phone user interfaces. A skeuomorphic design in software is one that 'decorates' the interface with fake reality - say, analog knobs or torn paper. The problem is worse than it sounds." Won't come as a surprise to anyone that I wholeheartedly agree with this one. iOS and Mac OS X are ruined by an incredibly high Microsoft BOB factor. I have no idea how - or if - Apple will address this, or if the current downward spiral is going to continue.
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Member since:2005-06-29
It hasn't always been beautiful and pleasant to everyone. This isn't just one of Thom's fetishes, I happen to have always found skeuomorphism silly and unnecessary. The only exception I've ever made is with music multitracking software; the analogue of an on-screen interface to a real mixing board is a functional example of skeuomorphism done right. As a musician, I find it much easier to glance at a virtual control that looks just like what I use in the real world, rather than an OS-specific slider widget.
That said, I think Apple goes too far with, for example, GarageBand with its wasted pixels on either side to represent functionless wooden cabinet panels. That's the key difference: If the skeuomorphism is functional, then (as long as it looks pleasing to the eye) it can be a good thing. But doing it for kicks or because you think it looks "organic" without function to back it up is just wrong.
As for Metro, it's about as far from Windows 3.11 as you can get. Have you actually used a Metro interface? I live with it every day on my phone, and it's highly intuitive, simple, elegant and stays out of my way. It's not perfect; no interface ever will be, and there are a few things I'd love to change about it. But it works for me so I stick with it.
Member since:2006-03-27
Member since:2006-05-30
That said, I think Apple goes too far with, for example, GarageBand with its wasted pixels on either side to represent functionless wooden cabinet panels.
I need to stop you there. GarageBand is a REALLY, REALLY poor example to use. Anyone who has used ant kind of music creation software can tell you that this is the absolute norm. Here are some key players who skeuomorph like a Mofo:
Native Instruments - Guitar Rig, Studio Drummer, pretty much all of their products and plug ins (including ones that work in GarageBand)
IK Multimedia's AmpliTube.
Peavey ReValver
Toontrack EZ Drummer
Addictive Drummer
Any of the 100's of free or low cost VST or AudioUnit plug-ins for PC or Mac.
I have no idea why they feel they need to look like real hardware. It is actually harder to use them in many respects. But they do.
Member since:2006-02-22
As for Metro, it's about as far from Windows 3.11 as you can get. Have you actually used a Metro interface? I live with it every day on my phone, and it's highly intuitive, simple, elegant and stays out of my way. It's not perfect; no interface ever will be, and there are a few things I'd love to change about it. But it works for me so I stick with it.
Interesting maybe Nokia isn't f*cked
Member since:2005-07-12
As for Metro, it's about as far from Windows 3.11 as you can get. Have you actually used a Metro interface? I live with it every day on my phone, and it's highly intuitive, simple, elegant and stays out of my way. It's not perfect; no interface ever will be, and there are a few things I'd love to change about it. But it works for me so I stick with it.
I love it, also. My only gripe is how god damn much I have to scroll on the start screen. As I (slowly) add apps to the start screen, the scrolling gets annoying.
God help me if I decide to move a live tile from the top to the bottom.
Features
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Member since:
2006-03-27
I'm a Linux user and I disregard Microsoft and Apple in equal amounts, but I think you really don't know what you're talking about. What has always been beautiful and pleasant is suddenly considered bloat, just because Microsoft is trying to push a new Windows 3.11-era style in UIs?