They only cover the decisions that lead to a beautiful app. Synthesize an implicit HIG based on prevailing standards.īut these are optimistic instructions.Gruber presented two high-level alternatives for dealing with this situation, so that we continue to produce mechanically and visually beautiful applications (paraphrased, again because I have no notes): Is that your fate?Ĭry all you want, but the ship is sinking. “Queens order! Bailing shall not be performed by officers! Somebody bail this water at once! That’s an order!” He’ll die, but he’ll die having been right. I’m picturing some Rowan Atkinson character standing alone on a sinking boat, foolishly but adamantly refusing to bail water as his knees, and then waist, succumb to the rising tide. Taking a step back now, I have to wonder why none of us, noticing that Apple was “constantly violating its own HIG,” stopped to consider whether we were the suckers for being so hung up about these problems on their behalf.

I got so used to defending the party line for so many years, that I stopped questioning whether it was worth defending. At the very least I think it’s time for us crotchety old engineers indoctrinated by System 7 or earlier values to mellow out a bit. But Gruber’s talk was thought-provoking, and I’m feeling pretty convinced right now, high on sleep deprivation and freshly returned from the fray. But these guys got me thinking, and I’d like to expand upon my reaction to some of the most interesting ideas. In that entry, I forced myself to (mostly) reiterate what I took away as the intended messages from the various speakers. (For those who aren’t famiiliar, HIG stands for Human Interface Guidelines, and is a long-lived and ever-violated prescriptive document from Apple). My summary of C4 includes what I think are the main points from John Gruber’s “HIG is dead” talk.

Appzapper license agreement