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Sketch: Proud to Build a Truly Native Mac App

sketch.com

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

#222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of Mac users do. We chose the platform because of it, among other things. I hate that WhatsApp, Skype and other crap Electron apps that I’m forced to use because of other people can’t do simple things like propor multi language spell checking that macOS has had since day one and that every other app gets for free.

I think the killer feature of macs with Apple Silicon is that the iPad versions of Slack and Discord would "just work" and people wouldn't have to deal with Electron crap anymore.

I’ll believe the story that these will be any good when Catalyst apps will start behaving like native apps. If developers can’t bother making a native experience with frameworks that are meant to do this, I don’t think they will with an even simpler paradigm.

My canary in the coal mine: Apple’s own SF Symbols.

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

#223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you, and I think this is a pretty good signal that Sketch is REALLY feeling the heat from Figma, because they aren't offering a better argument besides "we're native". The bandwagon has clearly jumped off Sketch and onto Figma, and not because it's "fashionable", but because Figma is plain awesome.

Yep. Our company switched to Figma and it's been leaps and bounds better for productivity. Having multiple people working on the same design file at the same time has been huge.

Check out Adobe XD, it supports simultaneously editing by a team right out of the box.

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

#224
post #213

Any seasoned figma users out there that can comment on what it has that Adobe XD does not? Adobe is is a creative powerhouse and has an army of devs and unlimited resources to steal the best features and workflow across all design apps from what I've seen since it first was referred to as project Comet.

> Adobe is is a creative powerhouse and has an army of devs and unlimited resources to steal the best features and workflow across all design apps from what I've seen since it first was referred to as project Comet.

It really depends who is on the project. Excellence in execution varies so widely even among top companies. e.g. Microsoft can produce Azure but also run Skype into the ground. They can make Visual Studio Code but also Teams.

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

#225
post #141
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been a software developer since the 1990s. I know how Vi(m) feels and I much prefer the affordances offered by VS.Code. Ironically Jetbrains IDEs are Java, using Java Swing for the UI[1]! This is even less native than VS.Code where at least native widgets are used. I guess this shows how much our impressions are formed by expectations! [1] https://stackoverflow.com/a/12311981/280795

Swing is definitely not "less native" than Electron. The entire window is a web view in Electron apps. I believe Java Swing was even an officially supported UI toolkit on the Mac a long time ago.

The menus in Swing aren't native but are in Electron.

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

#226

Figma is eating them brutally. I'm a designer and everyone I know (and their companies) are moving away from Sketch. Figma understood that the breakthrough of this market is to create a platform, not a tool. Building a native app is not going to help you win this market. That's for sure.

Adobe XD does everything Figma does from what I can tell and is cross platform and you can use Miro to get seamless collaboration via the web to share your Art boards. What is Figma's killer features?

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

#227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never miss an opportunity to publicly restate just how god-awful XCode is. I think it is literally the worst developer tool I have ever come across. I don’t think I have ever heard one good thing said about it. Coming mostly from a Windows desktop background, I only started developing for Apple devices late on. Holy shit, I can’t believe people have been putting themselves through that horrible experience for the b…

I think if you only use XCode and really get used to it through and through, it could be a good tool. But it is so unintuitive it's staggering, and does not have terribly advanced features for an IDE.

I think if you use Xcode enough you can come to like it. What it does well it does really well–I have yet to see something that bundles as many good, advanced tools for building, debugging, and profiling in one pretty package as Xcode does. Most of the hate for Xcode seems to (rightfully) be aimed at its instability when working with things like codesigning, devices, or source control–IMO this this because they have a different process internally for their use than external developers. If you really understand who Xcode is aimed at (Apple) and how it is supposed to work (Apple's workflows) you can generally understand it.

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

#228

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…

I never miss an opportunity to publicly restate just how god-awful XCode is. I think it is literally the worst developer tool I have ever come across. I don’t think I have ever heard one good thing said about it. Coming mostly from a Windows desktop background, I only started developing for Apple devices late on. Holy shit, I can’t believe people have been putting themselves through that horrible experience for the b…

People who use Xcode long enough usually get through the phase where they hate it with every fiber of their being. It's like Stockholm syndrome, except you realize your captor wants you to be happy but is also kind of insane.

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

#229

I find at least zooming in/out large project files to be much faster in Figma. Lack of good offline workflow sucks but the overall features and cross-compatibility means nearly everyone is moving to Figma. Sketch isn’t bad software at all, but they are really losing out to the network effects of Figma. Design software isn’t like IDEs where everyone in an organisation can use their favourite one - orgs choose design t…

I’m not sure I would feel sorry for them; doubling down on your one-platform stance while your customers are overwhelmingly voting with their feet and wallets for cross-platform support is just stupidity in my opinion.

They’ll have a core set of customers who will appreciate it, but I’m not sure they’re going to pay the bills just because you’ve convinced them stay, which they probably would’ve done anyway

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

#230

The majority of the benefits seem to be for developers, not for customers. Effectively-free features like tool bars, file dialogs, and right-click lookups sure are nice to not have spend development hours on. However, as a customer...how does that matter to me?

Developers don't choose to develop for the Mac because it reduces their development effort.
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