98.css – design system for building faithful recreations of Windows 98 UIs

(jdan.github.io)

838 points bennettfeely | 1 comments | 21 Apr 20 23:51 UTC | HN request time: 0.337s | source

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tomxor ◴[22 Apr 20 14:57 UTC] No.22946215[source]▶

I can't believe how intensely functional the UI design of windows 95/98 was when looking back, and I say this as someone who intensely hates windows overall - but credit where it's due.

Only when using it now is it clear how well they minimized ambiguity and cognitive load... everything is so frickin obvious. Contrast that with modern aesthetically obsessed UIs, ever ambiguous, lack of clear distinctions not in both spatial boundaries and UI states - it's a constant guessing game for the user, never certain about the outcome of an interaction, giving you this distracting sense of unease rather than just focusing on whats behind the UI.

replies(1): >>22951044 #

stjohnswarts ◴[22 Apr 20 22:50 UTC] No.22951044[source]▶

>>22946215 #

I don't get it when people people use strong descriptors like "unease" and "jarring" when describing UIs. I don't think I've ever had a UI that made me feel fearful for my life/psychological well-being like that.

replies(1): >>22956591 #

1. tomxor ◴[23 Apr 20 14:46 UTC] No.22956591[source]▶

>>22951044 #

It's subconscious, if you don't try to notice you wont, instead you will just stop using things or dislike using things without knowing why specifically - or more subtle still, you will not be as efficient in those programs... The UI is inbetween what you are trying to interact with, so if it doesn't quite work right then the emotions are going to be more subtle and hard to differentiate because it's not your main focus.

You are more likely to intuitively get this once you have some experience attempting to design effective UIs (and actually trying to care about it).

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