Magic Ink: Information Software and the Graphical Interface

If you enjoyed this essay, you should check out the author’s current project, Dynamicland[1]. It is a wonderful expression of what computing and interaction could be. Even the project website — navigating a physical shelf, and every part is hyperlinked — is joyful.

1. https://dynamicland.org/

I first read this essay more than a decade ago and it’s still the most influential and inspiring thing I’ve read for computers.

The premise is shockingly simple, and I still apply it: when designing an interface, think about how you’d do it if this was a book, not an interactive interface. That is, take visual design seriously. Only after that add interaction (or maybe don’t).

I was inspired by Bret's articles at a young age. Made be think of software more from a visual perspective. Even re-reading this article now, after many years, inspires me to think of possible ways we can improve building visual systems - thinking more from a designer's perspective; rather than an engineering one. And how far ahead his thinking was.

Even his imaginary "snapshot/example driven design tool" (described at the end of the article) seems quite intriguing and thought provoking. I wonder if with AI being so easily accessible nowadays, a retake on this tool can provide something that is actually usable and useful to people?

Every time this sort of thing comes up, I go back to Altsys Virtuoso on my NeXT Cube and drawing strokes and regions and then working up custom PostScript code for strokes and fills --- and wishing that there was a way to put a text box on screen and get its contents, or have a slider or other input into a PS program.

Nodebox almost scratches that itch:

https://www.nodebox.net/

but the last time I tried it, I couldn't get the precision which my current project requires for output.

(2006)