IBM Plex – A new typeface • Hacker News Board

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#141

Post by kps » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 1:09 AM UTC

throwaway4719 wrote: post #77

bitwize wrote: post #61

Nice. Is it available as a Selectric typeball?

Is the website available on any known platform, including any selectric-based platforms?

The Selectric has nice scroll wheels.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#142

Post by noonespecial » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 1:13 AM UTC

The f, l, and r hurt my eyes in a way I didn't know I could be hurt until now! There's something diabolical about that right angle and unnatural narrowing.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#143

Post by jrs95 » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 1:15 AM UTC

At this point I'd wish HN would take a month off of new typefaces similar to the break from politics ;)

Really though, this is sort of a silly trend. Why does every tech company need to create their own typeface? Do they actually think anyone is going to care, or even notice?

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#144

Post by jrs95 » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 1:17 AM UTC

For what it's worth, the scrolling experience is way better on mobile. But I don't know how anyone could ever approve the desktop experience, it could easily be used as an example of what not to do with scrolling. It's the worst thing I have seen like this, personally.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#145

Post by i_feel_great » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 2:08 AM UTC

krona wrote: post #30

seibelj wrote: post #18

From my experience dealing with IBM, I can only imagine this was the result of 5 different consulting teams, assisted by 3 different outsourced development groups, which was delayed numerous times, then Watson was added, and then a re-org caused by layoffs, which finally resulted in a website that couldn't scroll and caused the CPU of my high-end laptop to scream...

You missed the most important part; it was initiated by a team of lawyers who were tipped off by another team who noticed the Watson design team were using a typeface on public websites which they didn't have the copyright to, and certainly didn't have the license to redistribute. Almost 2 years later, Plex was born. (This is a true story, by the way.)

You missed the part where IBM outsourced the work out to a team in China, which outsourced part of it to a team in the Phillipines, which outsourced part of it to a team in India, which copy-pasted some open-sourced typeface made by some guy in the US.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#146

Post by musage » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 2:28 AM UTC

throwaway4719 wrote: post #74

ghaff wrote: post #70

Too bad the website is so poorly designed. It's actually a nice read through the design decisions. My first glance at the IBM serif made me think it was more of a slab serif like Stymie Bold but the discussion of its use in smaller sizes foes a nice job of explaining the differences.

How were you able to read anything?

    IBM has always served as a medium between mankind and machine.
    Between the natural and the engineered.
    The emotional and rational.
    The classic and the cutting-edge.
    Our most important job is to help humanity and technology move forward together.
    IBM Plex™ brings these relationships to life through letterforms.

I was able to read this stuff by first pounding my knee with my fist, then biting so hard on my left hand I nearly lost some fingertips. But I made it through it. The challenging scrolling actually provided some additional and welcome distraction from the sheer horror of the words.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#147

Post by paulddraper » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 2:30 AM UTC

I was disappointed "IBM" didn't look better...the "I" comes off as too narrow standing next to the other two.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#148

Post by paulddraper » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 2:32 AM UTC

BoorishBears wrote: post #97

chao- wrote: post #81

This is one of the most frustrating page navigation experiences I have had in long a while. I tend to scroll with pgup/pgdn or arrow keys (or more occasionally, space/shift+space) and when I got to the big "IBM" logo the page just kind of stopped. I thought that was all. It wasn't until I came to this thread I realized there was more, and I should look again, but even then it took me forever to: 1. Realize I needed t…

Before clicking the link: grumble grumble typical HN, top comment is whining about the webpage instead of focusing on the content. sigh After clicking the link on my smartphone: Sweet mother of Jesus, what have they done.

Not even ad blockers can save us.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#149

Post by broodbucket » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 2:38 AM UTC

nik736 wrote: post #57

On my 4k screen this landing page is a complete disaster.

It's a disaster on everyone's screen.

Re: IBM Plex – A new typeface

#150

Post by elviejo » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 2:53 AM UTC

chao- wrote: post #81

This is one of the most frustrating page navigation experiences I have had in long a while. I tend to scroll with pgup/pgdn or arrow keys (or more occasionally, space/shift+space) and when I got to the big "IBM" logo the page just kind of stopped. I thought that was all. It wasn't until I came to this thread I realized there was more, and I should look again, but even then it took me forever to: 1. Realize I needed t…

I got to the same spot... can't move past the IBM logo.

And that's it... there are many things in life more important than learning to navigate this one specific page.