Comments on: Simplify, simplify, simplify http://noahliebman.com/2008/01/simplify-simplify-simplify/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:17:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Noah http://noahliebman.com/2008/01/simplify-simplify-simplify/comment-page-1/#comment-6992 Noah Wed, 16 Mar 2011 03:32:06 +0000 http://noahliebman.com/working/homepage/blog/2008/01/29/simplify-simplify-simplify/#comment-6992 I think in the last two years or so, designers have started to realize that more isn't always necessarily better. We're starting to see software that is deliberately simple, with relatively few features. <a href="http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/products/writeroom" rel="nofollow">WriteRoom</a> is a great example of this (though it's older than just a couple years). There's a growing demand for this type of thing in our devices, too. People loved the original Kindle because it didn't have a web browser. (Newer versions do, unfortunately, and I think that detracts from the device.) <a href="http://www.noteslate.com/" rel="nofollow">NoteSlate</a> has been garnering a lot of interest lately, again, because it's so simple. A previous version of their website even boasted "No internet connection" as a feature. Finally, there's a genre of software that has been coming out to save us from ourselves. Fred Stutzman's <a href="http://macfreedom.com/" rel="nofollow">Freedom</a> and <a href="http://anti-social.cc/" rel="nofollow">Anti-Social</a> apps are prime examples, as is the open source <a href="http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/" rel="nofollow">SelfControl</a>. I think in the last two years or so, designers have started to realize that more isn't always necessarily better. We're starting to see software that is deliberately simple, with relatively few features. WriteRoom is a great example of this (though it's older than just a couple years).

There's a growing demand for this type of thing in our devices, too. People loved the original Kindle because it didn't have a web browser. (Newer versions do, unfortunately, and I think that detracts from the device.) NoteSlate has been garnering a lot of interest lately, again, because it's so simple. A previous version of their website even boasted "No internet connection" as a feature.

Finally, there's a genre of software that has been coming out to save us from ourselves. Fred Stutzman's Freedom and Anti-Social apps are prime examples, as is the open source SelfControl.

]]> By: Rick Dinitz http://noahliebman.com/2008/01/simplify-simplify-simplify/comment-page-1/#comment-6987 Rick Dinitz Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:54:13 +0000 http://noahliebman.com/working/homepage/blog/2008/01/29/simplify-simplify-simplify/#comment-6987 You wrote: "...so, too, can technology help reduce the craving" I'd love to hear some examples and suggestions. You wrote: "...so, too, can technology help reduce the craving"

I'd love to hear some examples and suggestions.

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