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nikitonsky: How UI degrades over time.<br>Top (Windows 95): great contrast, obvious shapes. Instantly readable.<br>Middle (Windows 11): shapes are still self-explanatory, but contrast is gone.<br>Bottom (Windows 11 Insiders): what am I even looking at? The only shape I can understand here is the Run button. Barely visible, though.<br>Then, on the left, there’s another something that says Run and has an icon. What is it? A window title? Another button? Why does it have to say Run twice?<br>Shell:startup looks like a header but from what I understand is actually your previous command. Also, why is it aligned so poorly? Text to icon, bottom padding?<br>Finally, the text input. Do you see it? I don’t. But it’s there. The only hint is a barely visible white (???) cursor before the placeholder. How do we know it’s a placeholder? We don’t.<br>The original Windows 95 interface is _functional_. It has a function and it executes it very well. It works for you, without trying to be clever or sophisticated. Also, it follows system conventions, which also helps you, the user.<br>I’m not sure whom the bottom interface helps. It’s a puzzle, an art object, but it doesn’t work for you. It’s not here to make your life easier.<br>Bottom image source: x.com/phantomofearth/status/1996660509027062148<br>#Windows #Affordance #Contrast #Run #Dialog #Microsoft

December 6, 2025 // PermalinkEdit