"A good programmer is a lazy programmer; only lazy programmers will want to write the kind of tools that might replace them in the end. But for a lazy programmer to be a good programmer, he or she must be incredibly unlazy when it comes to learning how to stay lazy."
— Paraphrased from Philipp Lenssen, “Why Good Programmers are Lazy and Dumb”
Elliot Jay Stocks, Founder and Editor of Type Journal 8faces interviews Erik Spiekermann who shares his thoughts on designing for small screens and continues the conversation we had with Erik at Typo London in October.
He describes screens as ‘bad paper’ and advises designing for them as such. Mobile screens, he reiterates, simply require the same design principles as used when designing for any small format (but with more options at our disposal like animation & colour etc.). He believes that now web designers have mastered the technical challenges that distracted them from the design process, the focus can now be restored.
In response to Erik’s comments about his reputation for black, white and red designs, some eagle-eyed viewer left an amusing YouTube comment on Erik’s attire: black trousers, white shirt and red socks. Masterful visual reinforcement or absent-minded habit?