Steve Versus The Button: Apple's Interface Odyssey

Published on July 26, 2007 By Zoomba In WinCustomize News

Apple computers and gadgets are pretty well-known for their determination to present a minimalist interface. The mouse has one button, the iPod has a click wheel, MacOS has always strived to require as few clicks as possible for the majority of user tasks. Aesthetics take top-seat when it comes to device design. Look at the iMac, the PowerBook/MacBook, iPod and now the iPhone. Almost no seams, and more importantly, almost no buttons.

Turns out that Steve Jobs has a thing for buttons. He hates them.

The iPhone represents Jobs's biggest victory over the button, as it only has one, using a touch interface instead of a more traditional keypad or stylus interface. Simplicity and appearance, the drive to be as unintimidating as possible to the average user. Those are the driving goals of Apple gadget design.

If you want to read more of the great battle against the button, check out the Wall Street Journal article below.

Comments

thomassen

on Jul 26, 2007

Apple got some nice designs, but I'll never be comfortable with a single button mouse. And I've yet to try an Apple mouse that doesn't cause pain to my hand and/or wrist.

(p.s. on a sidenote on Apple and buttons; what's the hotkey combo to open the Apple menu on OSX?)

Astyanax

on Jul 26, 2007

Such a big victory infact that the iPhone has a major security hole. If Jobs and his little team of minions don't fix it by the 2nd then it gets publically released, can you say; HELLO UNLOCKED IPHONES!

starkers

on Jul 27, 2007

Turns out that Steve Jobs has a thing for buttons. He hates them.

Yep, chewed a button off his jumpsuit as a baby and near choked on it....since then he's religiously been a zipper guy, but it just wasn't practical for the iPod, iPhone.

Excalpius

on Jul 27, 2007

What in the world does this have to do with the poster's topic? Or are you maintaining that this security hole is somehow related to the aesthetic design of Apple's products?

Astyanax

on Jul 27, 2007

Or are you maintaining that this security hole is somehow related to the aesthetic design of Apple's products?

Yes, that is correct.

The iPhone's code was a branch off from Leopard no? What does that say about their ability to code a secure OS? You don't hear reports on the news saying Windows Moble was hacked do you? Pretty much shoots down any fanboys arguement about Apple's "good" security. (No im not calling you or anyone here a fanboy..

)

I was also taking a jab at the acticle saying Steve Job's has had great success with the iPhone. Sure it sold well, but its terribly unsecure.

HG_Eliminator

on Jul 29, 2007

ive made a keyboard to solve his fears.

eieio

on Jul 29, 2007

ive made a keyboard to solve his fears.

I don't know; it does have a rather large ... button.

Excalpius

on Jul 29, 2007

What does that say about their ability to code a secure OS?

While this is certainly a legitimate comment, I still don't see why you maintain that any of the code issues have anything to do with the industrial design, icons, GUI, etc. Your post maintains that (somehow) code security is coming at the expense of the industrial design, which seems patently absurd given that there are under the control and creation of entirely different teams within Apple.

In other words, the hardware designers don't create the GUI, and the industrial designers don't deal with code at all, etc. etc.

Jafo

on Jul 30, 2007

HG_E ....I really NEED one of those.....

Jafo has 'stuff' to do ...so that'd be perfectamundo....

starkers

on Jul 30, 2007

I don't know; it does have a rather large ... button.

Yeah

the stuff of Jobsies darkest nighmares, he, he.

Jafo has 'stuff' to do ...so that'd be perfectamundo..

Jafo, with all you've got to do, you'd need one with a much, much bigger button.

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