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Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

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Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#151

Post by aikinai »

etaioinshrdlu wrote: post #12

This is great, but I no longer feel that the macOS HIG represents usable design for anybody. Apple's native apps are confusing and inconsistent. XCode is perhaps the worst offender. (Is that because it's okay to ship sub-par experiences to developers? ) My opinion is that Google's UX is now best in class -- things like Google Docs that are just nearing perfection that everyone seems to have no trouble with. Youtube w…

> things like Google Docs that are just nearing perfection

I'm completely baffled by this statement. The Google Docs UI hasn't changed since it was released ten years ago and it's just an imitation of Microsoft Word from the mid-nineties. What is good or special about it?

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#152

Post by hn_throwaway_99 »

haswell wrote: post #115
martinald wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing IMO that really killed Sketch was not being able to share Sketch files with non-Mac users and let them open them up. They should have at least created a Windows/Linux (or web) viewer. They don't need edit functionality but nearly always someone in the approval/feedback process of a mockup will not be on Mac. It's just not realistic at larger orgs (or IMO smaller ones too) to expect everyone to be on a Mac.…

> The thing IMO that really killed Sketch Are we just accepting that Sketch is “dead” now? Genuinely curious. I realize Figma has been doing great things, but wasn’t under the impression that Sketch is over.

I don't know if it's "dead" but I have known a bunch of teams that, within the past 18 months, all switched from Sketch to Figma, and I certainly don't know anyone that's switched the other direction, soooo...

That said, these were all website and mobile app design teams, and another commenter mentioned that Sketch is better for print design. Still, have to imagine that print is a shrinking part of the overall marketplace.

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#153

Post by EvilEy3 »

Justsignedup wrote: post #121
parhamn wrote: post #85

One thing I think people aren't pointing out is how much Figma seems to have done [1] to make the web platform work for them in the way Sketch is describing the Mac App. It almost seems like a technical moat of sorts. Achieving the ridiculous snappiness Figma in browsers is certainly non-trivial. [1] https://www.figma.com/blog/building-a-professional-design-to...

figma is pretty freaken amazing, and it works outside of macs. So overall there is nothing but upsides to it. Collaboration is amazing too. Just... No down sides.

Atrocious performance and memory usage. I have to always close tab after I'm done with Figma or laptop crawls.

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#154

Post by achow »

Justsignedup wrote: post #121
parhamn wrote: post #85

One thing I think people aren't pointing out is how much Figma seems to have done [1] to make the web platform work for them in the way Sketch is describing the Mac App. It almost seems like a technical moat of sorts. Achieving the ridiculous snappiness Figma in browsers is certainly non-trivial. [1] https://www.figma.com/blog/building-a-professional-design-to...

figma is pretty freaken amazing, and it works outside of macs. So overall there is nothing but upsides to it. Collaboration is amazing too. Just... No down sides.

Fan of Figma, but would switch to a better one in a heartbeat because of the following huge downside..

Once you are in Figma, you are trapped forever. No way to get out your original editable artwork files.

Buyer beware!

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#157

Post by rado »

hombre_fatal wrote: post #109
yesimahuman wrote: post #13

I respect them for sticking to this, but I think it's a mistake. It's clear users in general don't care about an app being pure Mac OS controls/SDKs/etc. and their claims about it being a truly superior UX are unfounded (having used both regularly, Figma disproves that heavily). With this, Sketch isn't available on Windows nor the web (until very recently it seems?). I wouldn't die on that hill.

I think this is a good example of the HN bubble which is one of the only places where "native macOS app" means anything to anybody. At least something more than "oh, I need to have a Macbook for that?" My girlfriend is a UX professional that does most of her work in Sketch. She doesn't care about macOS beyond the fact that it's required by the tools she has to use. I impulse-built an overpowered Windows machine earli…

Windows is broken spyware.

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#158

Post by etaioinshrdlu »

aikinai wrote: post #151
etaioinshrdlu wrote: post #12

This is great, but I no longer feel that the macOS HIG represents usable design for anybody. Apple's native apps are confusing and inconsistent. XCode is perhaps the worst offender. (Is that because it's okay to ship sub-par experiences to developers? ) My opinion is that Google's UX is now best in class -- things like Google Docs that are just nearing perfection that everyone seems to have no trouble with. Youtube w…

> things like Google Docs that are just nearing perfection I'm completely baffled by this statement. The Google Docs UI hasn't changed since it was released ten years ago and it's just an imitation of Microsoft Word from the mid-nineties. What is good or special about it?

All else equal, I'd say its a good thing when user interfaces don't change.

The simplicity of the collaboration features was a huge game changer at the time, and it's still best-in-class and very easy.

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#159

Post by sdoering »

hombre_fatal wrote: post #109
yesimahuman wrote: post #13

I respect them for sticking to this, but I think it's a mistake. It's clear users in general don't care about an app being pure Mac OS controls/SDKs/etc. and their claims about it being a truly superior UX are unfounded (having used both regularly, Figma disproves that heavily). With this, Sketch isn't available on Windows nor the web (until very recently it seems?). I wouldn't die on that hill.

I think this is a good example of the HN bubble which is one of the only places where "native macOS app" means anything to anybody. At least something more than "oh, I need to have a Macbook for that?" My girlfriend is a UX professional that does most of her work in Sketch. She doesn't care about macOS beyond the fact that it's required by the tools she has to use. I impulse-built an overpowered Windows machine earli…

I agree. When I started my current job 6 years ago I choose the Mac because of the terminal. Then, when I could get the new Macbook Pro I stayed for Keynote (imho just the best tool for presentations) and Sketch (as an analyst I sometimes need to create dashboard mock-ups). Now I use Figma exclusively for that as I also use a Windows machine and sometimes a Linux one. Well Figma is usable on all of them and were it not for Keynote I would ditch the Mac totally.

In my agency Mac is there because of tradition from developers and designers. More and more developers jump ship to better hardware and use Windows with WLS2 or Linux. Designers tend to stay with the Mac even if they switch to Figma. Some years back it was PS -> Sketch. Now it is Sketch-> Figma massively for a year or so.

Re: Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

#160

Post by rlt »

It seems like “pride” should be reserved for things like acting ethically, being environmentally friendly, treating employees well, making a positive impact on the world.

The platform you chose to build on is more of a business decision. One that I’m guessing Sketch is increasingly trying to rationalize to themselves.

Being proud they build a native app isn’t going to help them compete with Figma.

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