Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple's Designers Clashing Over 'Tacky' Software Skeuomorphisms
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I like the tiny details. It just shows how much extra detail goes into the OS. Instead of making it too technologic, it makes it very organic, I believe Steve Jobs would have wanted that. I think it gives visual cues to tell you what you are currently doing.
I don't think of it as tacky. If anything, it's minimal and optimal.
I don't think of it as tacky. If anything, it's minimal and optimal.
Yes, this is awful -- get rid of it
it just gets in the way and makes no sense if a computer is meant to replace those paper things! Its supposed to be better, not the same!
I agree with you...but don't you think that they recently went too far? The examples that you cited were "funny", "cute", "smart". Now take a look at the screenshot of podcast that has been posted in this topic. It looks like a monster from a japanese cartoon!
There is a difference between little things like that that connect to actual a actions and try to relate them in a non-tech friendly way. Then there is visual garbage like a stitched leather calendar.
I think there is a middle ground that exits here that Apple is missing hard core. For example the loss of colored icons across the OS and in Apps like iTunes that remove helpful visual ques. Both factions in this have gone too far and it's starting to pollute the OS and make it look fragmented and ugly. Not healthy.
I'm not a fan of the design of some Apple apps - calendar, notes, contacts etc.
The main issue for me is that they just don't match the design of the hardware they're running on and it looks strange. You've got a sleek industrial design laptop or phone and then a tacky gimmicky interface on the apps.
It's made even worse by the randomness with which they use it, with a variety of stylings across their apps. Where's the uniformity? Seems to go totally against the Apple ethos.
Once people get familiar with the Windows 8 interface and design there will be more and more people commenting on how poor Apple is in comparison.
The main issue for me is that they just don't match the design of the hardware they're running on and it looks strange. You've got a sleek industrial design laptop or phone and then a tacky gimmicky interface on the apps.
It's made even worse by the randomness with which they use it, with a variety of stylings across their apps. Where's the uniformity? Seems to go totally against the Apple ethos.
Once people get familiar with the Windows 8 interface and design there will be more and more people commenting on how poor Apple is in comparison.
I'm with Jony on this one. A good example of proper design is the Safari main view or the three pane Mail view. Not that Safari-coverflow-history crap page...
If you're going to mix both concepts it's very hard to draw a line. Where do you stop? When is enough enough...
Is "System Preferences" gonna look like a kitchen timer with Mode, Set and Up and Down buttons in OS X 10.9?
I think Steve Jobs was a person who knew where to draw the line. Most people do not. That's why he could pull the combination of both ways of thinking off but now that he is gone the remaining people seem unable to draw this line which makes mixing both elements impossible, thus the camps formed.
If you're going to mix both concepts it's very hard to draw a line. Where do you stop? When is enough enough...
Is "System Preferences" gonna look like a kitchen timer with Mode, Set and Up and Down buttons in OS X 10.9?
I think Steve Jobs was a person who knew where to draw the line. Most people do not. That's why he could pull the combination of both ways of thinking off but now that he is gone the remaining people seem unable to draw this line which makes mixing both elements impossible, thus the camps formed.
Last edited:
You gotta have something that hogs CPU cycles so you have to upgrade
Agree completely that it is window dressing for the geek whacko's to salivate over. Also a great way to push more hardware upgrades when your 1-2 year old device can't quite pull off the worthless animations at a tolerable rate.
Agree completely that it is window dressing for the geek whacko's to salivate over. Also a great way to push more hardware upgrades when your 1-2 year old device can't quite pull off the worthless animations at a tolerable rate.
The Windows 8 tiles look nice and clean but it's just a facade. Maybe Windows should be called Layers. Underneath the tiles is the same old butt ugly Aero desktop that they introduced with Vista. And underneath that layer, in places where M$ hopes users won't go, are several old dialogs from Windows 2000 that they couldn't be arsed to rework. Keep peeling and soon enough you're in DOS.
Ah yes, the topic... to skeumorph or not to skeumorph. It depends. In some cases it's both relevant and inspiring. Music apps for example... synth panels, mixers, guitar FX pedals etc, retaining the hardware look & feel makes a lot of sense there. Especially on touchscreen devices like iPad/iPhone (though it can be done differently - check out Figure by Propellerhead, highly addictive app with beautiful, simple graphics without a trace of hardware nostalgia).
In a calendar or podcast app it's not relevant, just ******* stupid. Next thing they'll replace the clock app with one where you have to wind up the clock with a virtual winding knob.
It's ironic... the guy with the AlienWare PC with stupid useless ornamentation, horns, wings and fangs will be looking at the super clean, simple and modern Windows 8 tiles UI, while the guy with the super clean and simple Apple hardware gets UIs that resemble crusty old real-world objects.
Ah yes, the topic... to skeumorph or not to skeumorph. It depends. In some cases it's both relevant and inspiring. Music apps for example... synth panels, mixers, guitar FX pedals etc, retaining the hardware look & feel makes a lot of sense there. Especially on touchscreen devices like iPad/iPhone (though it can be done differently - check out Figure by Propellerhead, highly addictive app with beautiful, simple graphics without a trace of hardware nostalgia).
In a calendar or podcast app it's not relevant, just ******* stupid. Next thing they'll replace the clock app with one where you have to wind up the clock with a virtual winding knob.
It's ironic... the guy with the AlienWare PC with stupid useless ornamentation, horns, wings and fangs will be looking at the super clean, simple and modern Windows 8 tiles UI, while the guy with the super clean and simple Apple hardware gets UIs that resemble crusty old real-world objects.
This is one of those areas where I can see some strength in both arguments.
On the one hand, clean UI which eschews any reference to physical objects can be beautiful and, when done right, highly functional. On the other hand, skeuomorphism is a great way to use visual elements to communicate unambiguously with the user what the interface is all about - and they are fun to use. Skeuomophic designs can look cheesy but then ultra-modern, minimalist designs can look cold and uninviting. It all depends on how you implement them.
It's about balance, at the end of the day, rather than dogma. If a UI element can be designed in a fun, inviting way and be simple and easy to use too then I say go for it. But you should never allow the fun elements to obscure the utility of the UI - it is a tool after all, first and foremost.
On the one hand, clean UI which eschews any reference to physical objects can be beautiful and, when done right, highly functional. On the other hand, skeuomorphism is a great way to use visual elements to communicate unambiguously with the user what the interface is all about - and they are fun to use. Skeuomophic designs can look cheesy but then ultra-modern, minimalist designs can look cold and uninviting. It all depends on how you implement them.
It's about balance, at the end of the day, rather than dogma. If a UI element can be designed in a fun, inviting way and be simple and easy to use too then I say go for it. But you should never allow the fun elements to obscure the utility of the UI - it is a tool after all, first and foremost.
Are you kidding!? Windows 8 is absolutely awful in look and functionality. It's also absolutely useless as an operating system on anything but a tablet.
MDA
so maybe a more applicable one for our generation (i'm 32) is to have a calendar app with a newton skin?! totally kidding, but get what you mean. i do think, however, everyone knows what the desk calendar looks like. that said, other skeuomorphic traits should be weighted on cultural relevance for risk of alienating the users perceptions.
case in point, i actually really like the tape reel effect of the pod cast. HOWEVER, it's functional design is awful. many people prob have no idea what a tape reel is so the fact they don't get that graphic and the fact it's so slow and jaggy probably makes that just a terrible application of skeuomorphic design.
How about let the user choice what they want in the theming. I know that may be hard for Apple to understand that users may want something different.
As a design I would say putting things like the leather calendar and tearing off pages looks like crap.
As a design I would say putting things like the leather calendar and tearing off pages looks like crap.
I'm fine with all but AddressBook....Contacts.
This is one app that has always been weak however. Can't mass change addresses, can't see duplicates in a list so you know which ones to merge, etc.
Putting it in the book format just never made sense to me and made seeing the info even worse.
I think the skeuo thing really only aggravates the nerdiest of the nerds... and you know who you are. hahahaa
This is one app that has always been weak however. Can't mass change addresses, can't see duplicates in a list so you know which ones to merge, etc.
Putting it in the book format just never made sense to me and made seeing the info even worse.
I think the skeuo thing really only aggravates the nerdiest of the nerds... and you know who you are. hahahaa
Exactly. Ives and the industrial designers need to perform an intervention on the graphics department.
Yes. I agree 100%. Some apps, like finder, iTunes, Aperture are now even too much minimalistic and all black and white. Other apps are pure visual garbage (calendar, find my friends, gamecenter, podcast).
The contrast between these categories of apps makes them look even worse in my opinion. Leopard and the first versions of iOS had the best design taste
Ridiculous!
I could care less about the visual schizophrenia, visual mastication, or whatever you want to call this... if it does not detract and allows for smooth functionality, then it is fine. I do agree that some navigation could be a bit more productive. I happen to like most of the touches and believe no one will like them all. That being said... DEAR GOD in HEAVEN... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do NOT make it like Windows 8! If I wanted that, then I would have bought that. Do not imitate... Apple is imitated and sets the standard... just set a new standard for some things.
I could care less about the visual schizophrenia, visual mastication, or whatever you want to call this... if it does not detract and allows for smooth functionality, then it is fine. I do agree that some navigation could be a bit more productive. I happen to like most of the touches and believe no one will like them all. That being said... DEAR GOD in HEAVEN... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do NOT make it like Windows 8! If I wanted that, then I would have bought that. Do not imitate... Apple is imitated and sets the standard... just set a new standard for some things.
To you maybe. To me maybe not. It's amusing, maybe. Maybe it depends on your age, nationality, mental state, whatever. I like Apple stuff, and I buy it because it works. If you don't like it because you don't have the same taste as the Apple designers, don't flipping well buy it!
Ffs
So many recent threads about completely meaningless stuff (in the scheme of things) with 100s of responses.
How do people have so much energy to spend on how a building is covered by cleverly stretched icons, or whether 4g is an accurate representation of a wireless technology, or whether something that hasn't been launched yet works? Doesn't anyone have anything better to do?
And can't you spell "about"?
I saw it the other day and looks horrible. I never use that computer where I installed snow leopard that much, but messing around a bit the other day with it... really looks horrible. I was actually trying to switch theme.
Good the thing is getting noticed. It looks like a cheap hacking.
Good the thing is getting noticed. It looks like a cheap hacking.