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Google’s look, evolved

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Re: Google’s look, evolved

#191

Post by blt »

raldi wrote: post #147
ryandrake wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never understood that criticism. Business decisions should be data driven. You test new signup flows to see which one onboards users better. You test advertising changes to see which one converts better. Why should a logo design or a title bar color be any different? Without testing each iteration, how do you know which one has the best effect on whatever success metrics you're using? I can understand if you're…

> Business decisions should be data driven. The evolutionary, data-driven approach will never yield a Nest thermostat, iPhone, Helvetica, or flag of New Mexico. We have no idea how to even begin to write a fitness function for good design.

Actually Helvetica is an evolution of the 1896 typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akzidenz-Grotesk

Re: Google’s look, evolved

#192

Post by akvlad »

nailer wrote: post #18
raldi wrote: post #9

2008 HN discussion from when the outgoing "little blue g" favicon was introduced: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=211518 In it, Dustin Curtis criticizes Google (rather rightly, in my hindsight-enhanced opinion) for a Marissa-Mayeresque design process of "Make 300 logo variants with pseudorandom permutations, and then pick your favorite." Looking at those permutations now ( http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7ZYqYi4xigk/S…

Interestingly, the blue g favicon is still there on the front page at https://www.google.com/favicon.ico (cache is off).

nope, just cached https://www.google.com/favicon.ico?cache

Re: Google’s look, evolved

#193

Post by raldi »

blt wrote: post #191
raldi wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Business decisions should be data driven. The evolutionary, data-driven approach will never yield a Nest thermostat, iPhone, Helvetica, or flag of New Mexico. We have no idea how to even begin to write a fitness function for good design.

Actually Helvetica is an evolution of the 1896 typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akzidenz-Grotesk

But it wasn't designed by an evolutionary algorithm; it was designed by a genius typographer who trusted his own sense of taste.

Re: Google’s look, evolved

#197

Post by hellbanner »

Google's userinterface, in gmail.com, at least, has gotten progressively worse, and worse, and worse, and worse since its inception in my experience and everyone I've asked about this.

... don't know what else to say. I question if their designers use their own products.

Latest bugs worth mentioning: Chrome still has an issue that can cause microphone to not work in Hangouts. Gmail.com has added a "Your plug-in google talk will no longer be supported soon" ...

Re: Google’s look, evolved

#198

Post by DanBC »

hellbanner wrote: post #197

Google's userinterface, in gmail.com, at least, has gotten progressively worse, and worse, and worse, and worse since its inception in my experience and everyone I've asked about this. ... don't know what else to say. I question if their designers use their own products. Latest bugs worth mentioning: Chrome still has an issue that can cause microphone to not work in Hangouts. Gmail.com has added a "Your plug-in googl…

Google maps is incredibly frustrating to use. I can't understand what user testing they do.

Re: Google’s look, evolved

#199

Post by austinjp »

DanBC wrote: post #198
hellbanner wrote: post #197

Google's userinterface, in gmail.com, at least, has gotten progressively worse, and worse, and worse, and worse since its inception in my experience and everyone I've asked about this. ... don't know what else to say. I question if their designers use their own products. Latest bugs worth mentioning: Chrome still has an issue that can cause microphone to not work in Hangouts. Gmail.com has added a "Your plug-in googl…

Google maps is incredibly frustrating to use. I can't understand what user testing they do.

Amen.
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