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I love skeuomorphism. Anyone else?
- Thread starter brilliantthings
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I do like it when it's done well -- for example the page turn animation in iBooks. Other times it kind of gets in the way, like the book-like look in Contacts take up space that could be put to use displaying more of the info. And sometimes it just looks pretty without detracting or adding to usability, for example Todo from Appigo. Overall, it's hard to find skeumorphism done right, and I believe that's why so many people complain about it.
It's true that sometimes it takes up space that would be otherwise useful.
But skeuomorphism also includes the wheels used to select a day of the week or a month, and even the toggle switches in Settings. They're terrific.
But skeuomorphism also includes the wheels used to select a day of the week or a month, and even the toggle switches in Settings. They're terrific.
Yes, but there it does serve a purpose, as the shape gives you a hint as to what the interface element does.
Putting stitches on a digital calendar doesn't make sense. And to me, a fake leather look on my beautiful, modern, well designed MacBook Air or iPad, just looks really out of place.
Of course, with Jony Ive, a known opponent of skeuomorphism, now heading up interface design, the OS's will no doubt start to look a lot cleaner.
I like it too.
It's these pseudo intellectual apple fanboys that don't.
The one that think they know how to make everything better than the people who have created things. Yet these same people probably haven't created a thing in their lives.
It's these pseudo intellectual apple fanboys that don't.
The one that think they know how to make everything better than the people who have created things. Yet these same people probably haven't created a thing in their lives.
NOTHING is uglier than Notes in iCloud. what's the point? why do we need fake leather? i welcome apps that look like what they are (i don't need references to 1950's desks on my mac...)
i dont mind *some* of it... when its not intrusive and kept to a minimum for experience sake... such as the Trash in OSX and what not..
but lately it has been getting out of control and inconsistent with Calendar, Notes, Game Center.
too much of it and it becomes tacky. imagine if all windows in OSX would look like a lion's skin, instead of the current metalic look?
but lately it has been getting out of control and inconsistent with Calendar, Notes, Game Center.
too much of it and it becomes tacky. imagine if all windows in OSX would look like a lion's skin, instead of the current metalic look?
Some of it is ok to my eyes and the more subtle the better. Too much or too drastic and things start looking like Microsoft Bob
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob
Actually skeuomorphism does NOT include the wheels used to select the day of the week or the month. Nor does it describe the toggle switches in Settings.
Skeuomorphism is including design elements from older products where they were necessary, in new products where they're just ornamental. In the iOS / software sense of the word, that means including ornamental features into various apps not to add functionality, but to make it look neat. The Notes app on the phone is a perfect example. You don't NEED to have it look like a real notepad. It would takes notes just as well on a plain, white background.
Unless you know of a calendar that allows you to use physical wheels to select the day or week, then that is NOT an example of skeuomorphism. And keep in mind, this calendar can't be some limited-run, collector's thing. It should be mimicking the "original product design". The traditional desk calendar they're trying to mimic doesn't have wheels. Likewise, show me a real-life Settings "thing" and then we can talk about whether the switches look like their real-life counterparts.
I think what you're calling "skeuomorphism" is nothing more than Apple's User Interface. It's a very nice interface at times (eg. being able to use wheels to pick the date). But that doesn't make those particular elements "skeuomorphic". It just makes them a good user interface.
Are you serious? You're hooked on the iPhone and iPad because of skeuomorphism? If those elements were removed, you're saying you'd have no bias one way or the other towards Apple products? I won't say that's not true. But I will say I'm as skeptical as one can get without simply flat-out not believing you.
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swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
I'm not sure if folders count. But I love folders. Although, folders takes something in real life and makes it better. In real life you don't usually have an infinite number of folders nestled inside other folders.
For the record, I enjoy skeuomorphism when it's done right. And "right" is a hard line to define. For example, I think having the Notes app look like a real life notepad is awesome. We could do the exact same thing on a plain white background. But having it look like paper adds a little something extra for me.
Now if they had a virtual pen writing out the letters as I typed them, then that would be bad. It would just look tacky and stupid. But that's just my opinion. Others may find that really neat. Just as others may not prefer the yellow notebook look as I do.
Now the game center on the other hand just looks tacky to me. Though to be fair, I'm not sure I'd even consider Game Center skeuomorphic. It's not really mimicking a real life "Game Center". It's just a butt-ugly user interface. When I see the notepad app, I think "Neat, looks just like the one on my desk". Same goes for the clock, calendar, etc. I've never loaded Game Center and thought "Gee, that looks just like the real thing".
So, when done right, it can be nice and give things a polished look. As long as it's kept to a minimum and not overdone or worse yet, intrusive.
Now if they had a virtual pen writing out the letters as I typed them, then that would be bad. It would just look tacky and stupid. But that's just my opinion. Others may find that really neat. Just as others may not prefer the yellow notebook look as I do.
Now the game center on the other hand just looks tacky to me. Though to be fair, I'm not sure I'd even consider Game Center skeuomorphic. It's not really mimicking a real life "Game Center". It's just a butt-ugly user interface. When I see the notepad app, I think "Neat, looks just like the one on my desk". Same goes for the clock, calendar, etc. I've never loaded Game Center and thought "Gee, that looks just like the real thing".
So, when done right, it can be nice and give things a polished look. As long as it's kept to a minimum and not overdone or worse yet, intrusive.
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Well stated. I like the shutter of a camera to look like a camera as it does in iOS or even a shutter as it does in many Android apps but the opening screen of iMovie on iOS where it looks like a brick front of a cinema to me looks silly.
No, the folders in iOS are NOT trying to mimic real folders. Had all your apps appeared on a manilla folder background, that would be skeuomorphic. Besides it being a container to hold other items and the name, it has absolutely nothing in common with it's real-life counterpart. The average person wouldn't look at folders on their iOS device and automatically think manilla folders. On top of that, iOS folders contain nothing that is ornamental in nature (related to real folders). The job they perform is anything but ornamental.
No offense intended to any of the posters here, but I think some people need to do a little more research before posting. A few weeks ago I had no clue what "skeuomorphic" meant. Or that it was a real word. But come on people, it takes 5 minutes (or less) to educate yourself on this topic. Cut and paste the word into your favorite search engine. While it may be an impressive word, the meaning of it is actually rather simple to understand.
When skeuomorphism works, such as the case of iBooks page turn and GarageBand, functions become instantly familiar and recognizable.
But when it doesn't work, it can make things more difficult to operate (because functions do not work the way you may expect) and waste screen space. For instance, even though Contacts app features page chrome just like iBooks, you cannot turn the page. Ditto for Notes app, where you cannot tear off a page as the UI suggests.
But when it doesn't work, it can make things more difficult to operate (because functions do not work the way you may expect) and waste screen space. For instance, even though Contacts app features page chrome just like iBooks, you cannot turn the page. Ditto for Notes app, where you cannot tear off a page as the UI suggests.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
No, the folders in iOS are NOT trying to mimic real folders. Had all your apps appeared on a manilla folder background, that would be skeuomorphic. Besides it being a container to hold other items and the name, it has absolutely nothing in common with it's real-life counterpart. The average person wouldn't look at folders on their iOS device and automatically think manilla folders. On top of that, iOS folders contain nothing that is ornamental in nature (related to real folders). The job they perform is anything but ornamental.
No offense intended to any of the posters here, but I think some people need to do a little more research before posting. A few weeks ago I had no clue what "skeuomorphic" meant. Or that it was a real word. But come on people, it takes 5 minutes (or less) to educate yourself on this topic. Cut and paste the word into your favorite search engine. While it may be an impressive word, the meaning of it is actually rather simple to understand.
I actually meant the folders in Mac OS, going back to the very first Mac. I think it is a bit difficult to understand. I realize it is taking design elements from an original and applying them to a new technology, where the design is not necessary but possibly helpful or just pretty. But with the case of folders, I think it's a couple of things: 1) Folders are more advanced than actual folders, as I indicated you can have an infinite number nestled inside other folders and things like aliases but 2) folders do have an actual image of a real life folder to help you understand the concept of what they are. I think it's so obvious to us now that maybe we don't think about them as folders, but presumably they could have been something else, like just text, for example. Or just pathways like C
rive/Documents/Music, etc. So, I think it counts as skeumorphism in way; the reason I was ambivalent was because not only is it ornamental but it mimics the real life function of folders but it extends it past that.
Don't know where all the venom comes from. I like it.
It gives apps identity and a 'sense of place'. And that makes them easier to identify and navigate on a cluttered desktop, from a 'distance' (eg in Mission Control) or when you're dividing your attention between the device and the outside world.
It gives apps identity and a 'sense of place'. And that makes them easier to identify and navigate on a cluttered desktop, from a 'distance' (eg in Mission Control) or when you're dividing your attention between the device and the outside world.
