Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Design of This Website (2021)

gwern.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 261 posts

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#51

Post by icelancer »

Jaruzel wrote: post #35

Yet again, this is a website that has clearly only been tested on a hiDPI screen. At 100% scaling on Windows, the serif font used doesn't kern or render properly; crossbars in letters such as 't' and 'f' are overweight compared to other strokes, and makes the font look uneven. Designers all seem to think we use 4k screens at 200% scaling, for that ultra smooth look, when in reality, that's far from the case[1]. Edit:…

I am on 3440x1440 at 100% scaling and gwern's site reads plenty fine to me, and has for years.

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#52

Post by julvo »

hypertele-Xii wrote: post #34

For a site that lists its #1 principle as minimalism, it sure has a lot going on at all times. Multiple menus all over the screen, many different kinds of links with distinct underline and icon suffix, popups within popups that reinvent OS window functionality, historiated initials, graphical horizontal divider with hidden links, a recommended articles carousel, and a very (visually) busy comments section. Minimal it…

Comparing Gwern's to your website is really interesting. I'd argue, Gwern's website is a good example of minimalist design, whereas the website you posted is the opposite.

To me, minimalist design is as little design as possible (Dieter Rams). All design elements need to serve and enhance usability/functionality of the product. That doesn't mean that the total functionality of something needs to be minimal. E.g. you can still have tags, recommended articles and a comment section.

In the website you posted, I see design elements that don't serve the usability of the website, but are there just for design sake. E.g. the background image, the colour of the toolbar or the right alignment of the text

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#55

Post by caslon »

Jaruzel wrote: post #35

Yet again, this is a website that has clearly only been tested on a hiDPI screen. At 100% scaling on Windows, the serif font used doesn't kern or render properly; crossbars in letters such as 't' and 'f' are overweight compared to other strokes, and makes the font look uneven. Designers all seem to think we use 4k screens at 200% scaling, for that ultra smooth look, when in reality, that's far from the case[1]. Edit:…

Looks fantastic on a real operating system at 1920x1080. Gwern is many things, a few of them positive, but he's not a designer. He's just a guy with an internet connection. The site works, though. Just install a better operating system, ideally with X11, that can do proper typography.

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#56

Post by hypertele-Xii »

julvo wrote: post #52
hypertele-Xii wrote: post #34

For a site that lists its #1 principle as minimalism, it sure has a lot going on at all times. Multiple menus all over the screen, many different kinds of links with distinct underline and icon suffix, popups within popups that reinvent OS window functionality, historiated initials, graphical horizontal divider with hidden links, a recommended articles carousel, and a very (visually) busy comments section. Minimal it…

Comparing Gwern's to your website is really interesting. I'd argue, Gwern's website is a good example of minimalist design, whereas the website you posted is the opposite. To me, minimalist design is as little design as possible (Dieter Rams). All design elements need to serve and enhance usability/functionality of the product. That doesn't mean that the total functionality of something needs to be minimal. E.g. you…

> I see design elements that don't serve the usability of the website

Every single thing you listed has a purpose.

> the background image

is a blurry gradient of colors magenta and orange, angled off-axis. In other words, the complete opposite of the page contents: Sharp black and white precisely-aligned text.

The purpose of a background is to contrast the foreground. Mission accomplished.

> the colour of the toolbar

is one of the only persistently consistent visual elements across the entire website, which features many very different color schemes in its content. Take this page [0] for instance; as the menu elements you refer to lie on a higher level of interface hierarchy, this color of the toolbar sets the topmost brand tone of the entire website.

[0] https://hypertele.fi/d9a64d59472ad05b

> the right alignment of the text

Quoting the very page under discussion:

When your eyes read to the end of a line of text, they have to jump to the beginning of the next one. Left-justified text causes all lines to start at the same vertical, making your eyes sometimes miss the jump and begin reading a wrong line. This is why you're sometimes reading the same line twice by accident. By right-justifying instead, the left edge of the text is made variying, and your eyes have an easier time picking the correct next line.

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#57

Post by lgvld »

gouggoug wrote: post #36
hypertele-Xii wrote: post #34

For a site that lists its #1 principle as minimalism, it sure has a lot going on at all times. Multiple menus all over the screen, many different kinds of links with distinct underline and icon suffix, popups within popups that reinvent OS window functionality, historiated initials, graphical horizontal divider with hidden links, a recommended articles carousel, and a very (visually) busy comments section. Minimal it…

Although I’d agree with the fact that gwern does have a more going on, I definitely don’t think your site is any more minimalistic, I’d ever argue it is far far from it. My first reaction was « THAT’s minimalistic ?? »

lol yes, the site is not at all (what one would call) minimalistic.

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#58

Post by ManuelKiessling »

hypertele-Xii wrote: post #34

For a site that lists its #1 principle as minimalism, it sure has a lot going on at all times. Multiple menus all over the screen, many different kinds of links with distinct underline and icon suffix, popups within popups that reinvent OS window functionality, historiated initials, graphical horizontal divider with hidden links, a recommended articles carousel, and a very (visually) busy comments section. Minimal it…

Sorry, that's not minimalism. gwern.net isn't either; I'd call that "brutalism" instead.

THIS is minimalism: https://manuel.kiessling.net

Precisely in the sense of "NOT a lot going on at all times". Just the content, presented pleasently.

And importantly, it's not only minimalism in look-and-feel, but also technically: even a long post with an embedded image like https://manuel.kiessling.net/2021/05/02/tutorial-react-singl... weighs in at under 200 KiB. Loads in under 3 seconds even on "slow 3G" in Chrome. 362 milliseconds via my office's wifi.

Also, no JavaScript. Nothing moves or jumps. Perfectly usable and consumable in a CLI browser like Lynx.

All of that without looking brutalist.

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#59

Post by biztos »

Text is obscured by the floating graphic tool buttons in the top right, on iPad. Once you scroll down far enough for them to slowly fade out, the whole thing is lopsided, with a big white margin on the left and text hugging the edge on the right.

Points for the detailed explanation of the principles and whims behind it, but the Design of this Website is poor.

Re: Design of This Website (2021)

#60

Post by julvo »

hypertele-Xii wrote: post #56
julvo wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Comparing Gwern's to your website is really interesting. I'd argue, Gwern's website is a good example of minimalist design, whereas the website you posted is the opposite. To me, minimalist design is as little design as possible (Dieter Rams). All design elements need to serve and enhance usability/functionality of the product. That doesn't mean that the total functionality of something needs to be minimal. E.g. you…

> I see design elements that don't serve the usability of the website Every single thing you listed has a purpose. > the background image is a blurry gradient of colors magenta and orange, angled off-axis. In other words, the complete opposite of the page contents: Sharp black and white precisely-aligned text. The purpose of a background is to contrast the foreground. Mission accomplished. > the colour of the toolbar…

Sorry, I realise my comment may have sounded a bit harsh, it was not meant as a criticism of your website - just describing why I don't perceive it as minimalist design
Post reply on HN