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Round Rects Are Everywhere (folklore.org)

431 points by zerojames · 778 days ago · 183 comments on HN

Article summary

Bill Atkinson worked from home during the creation of the Macintosh and would often visit the Macintosh offices to show off his progress, including his new oval routines. The article highlights Atkinson's work on the Macintosh and his collaboration with other team members. Atkinson's oval routines were implemented using a clever algorithm. The story provides insight into the early days of Apple and the development of the Macintosh.

Main themes

  • Apple history
  • Macintosh development
  • Design and innovation
  • Rounded rectangles
  • CSS and web design
  • Steve Jobs' legacy

What commenters say

  • Working from home was a key part of Bill Atkinson's productivity during the creation of the Macintosh.
  • The use of rounded rectangles in design, popularized by Apple, has become a standard element of modern design and is still widely used today.
  • The introduction of CSS border-radius has made it easy to create rounded rectangles in web design, replacing earlier methods that were more complicated and less efficient.
  • Steve Jobs' taste and vision were instrumental in making Apple's products successful and iconic, but his legacy is also complex and multifaceted.
  • Some people nostalgic for older web design methods, such as using tables for layout, feel that modern responsive websites have lost some of the magic and creativity of earlier designs.
  • The concept of rounded corners on screens is not just a software effect, but can also be a physical characteristic of the screen itself, such as with cutouts or specially designed panels.
  • Opinions about Steve Jobs' personality and legacy vary widely, with some viewing him as a genius and a visionary, while others see him as a difficult and flawed individual.
  • The importance of combining technical expertise with design and marketing savvy, as exemplified by the partnership between Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, is crucial for success in the tech industry.