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points by mike_hearn 3 days ago | 0 comments

It was always the wild west. Windows was full of "native" apps that reinvented their own UI. Off the top of my head:

- Office (custom widget toolkit, menus, toolbars, etc)

- Internet Explorer (frequently introduced new toolbar designs not available to apps via API until later)

- Encarta (custom dark mode-ish theme)

- Netscape Communicator (custom toolbars)

- RealPlayer

- QuickTime

- MSN Messenger (custom theme)

- Every video game ever

... UI inconsistency didn't arrive with the web. Even macOS has always been a patchwork. Apple couldn't stop introducing new themes over time and there were always apps that didn't quite follow. Brushed metal!

[–] roryirvine 2 days ago

Kai's Power Tools / Power Goo / Bryce took the custom interface stuff to the most extreme lengths - people genuinely loved it at the time but I think most would be horrified if anything went that far today.

https://mprove.de/script/99/kai/index.html

[–] mike_hearn 2 days ago

Ha! I forgot about those. Man I loved playing with Bryce back in the day, what a magical program that was. And yeah the UI was gorgeous for its time. Heck it still looks great even today, tbh.

[–] oneeyedpigeon 2 days ago

How is Winamp not on this list?!

[–] 72deluxe 2 days ago

For all those instances, at least keyboard navigation worked. Modern UIs are impossible to use with the keyboard.