[HN Gopher] Magic Ink: Information Software and the Graphical In...
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       Magic Ink: Information Software and the Graphical Interface
        
       Author : blobcode
       Score  : 51 points
       Date   : 2025-05-31 07:14 UTC (3 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (worrydream.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (worrydream.com)
        
       | leetrout wrote:
       | (2006)
        
       | jbarrow wrote:
       | If you enjoyed this essay, you should check out the author's
       | current project, Dynamicland[1]. It is a wonderful expression of
       | what computing and interaction could be. Even the project website
       | -- navigating a physical shelf, and every part is hyperlinked --
       | is joyful.
       | 
       | 1. https://dynamicland.org/
        
         | beanjuiceII wrote:
         | i wish i could say this looked interesting to me but it doesnt
         | :(
        
           | c22 wrote:
           | Thanks, I'll pick out something else for your birthday then.
        
           | JadeNB wrote:
           | > i wish i could say this looked interesting to me but it
           | doesnt :(
           | 
           | Then, not to be snarky, why say anything?
        
       | sktrdie wrote:
       | I was inspired by Bret's articles at a young age. Made be think
       | of software more from a visual perspective. Even re-reading this
       | article now, after many years, inspires me to think of possible
       | ways we can improve building visual systems - thinking more from
       | a designer's perspective; rather than an engineering one. And how
       | far ahead his thinking was.
       | 
       | Even his imaginary "snapshot/example driven design tool"
       | (described at the end of the article) seems quite intriguing and
       | thought provoking. I wonder if with AI being so easily accessible
       | nowadays, a retake on this tool can provide something that is
       | actually usable and useful to people?
        
       | dmazin wrote:
       | I first read this essay more than a decade ago and it's still the
       | most influential and inspiring thing I've read for computers.
       | 
       | The premise is shockingly simple, and I still apply it: when
       | designing an interface, think about how you'd do it if this was a
       | book, not an interactive interface. That is, take visual design
       | seriously. Only after that add interaction (or maybe don't).
        
         | handfuloflight wrote:
         | > think about how you'd do it if this was a book, not an
         | interactive interface.
         | 
         | To add, think about _what is being read and why_ in the context
         | of _what is being done._
        
       | WillAdams wrote:
       | Every time this sort of thing comes up, I go back to Altsys
       | Virtuoso on my NeXT Cube and drawing strokes and regions and then
       | working up custom PostScript code for strokes and fills --- and
       | wishing that there was a way to put a text box on screen and get
       | its contents, or have a slider or other input into a PS program.
       | 
       | Nodebox almost scratches that itch:
       | 
       | https://www.nodebox.net/
       | 
       | but the last time I tried it, I couldn't get the precision which
       | my current project requires for output.
        
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       (page generated 2025-06-03 23:02 UTC)