Re: [9fans] acme without a heavy grid (SFW)

[Jason Catena <jason.catena@gmail.com>]

On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 15:43, Jack Norton <jack@0x6a.com> wrote:
> Jason Catena wrote:
>> A quick edit frees acme from its "heavy grid prison", a la Tufte.
>> https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/502901/acmenogrid.jpg
>
> How about no grid whatsoever (while you're at it)?

I believe in a subtle or invisible grid to lay out text in columns,
divide columns into files, directories, and output, and whitespace to
separate them.  I seek to minimize, not deconstruct.

> There is plenty of contrast there to forego any kind of hard devisions.

I agree that all you really need are left-justified columns of text to
show a grid (eg a newspaper).  The remaining structural elements
(dirty button, scroll bar) are functional, so it would change acme too
much to remove or hide them, and would be counter-productive.

I used wily for a few years and took out the heavy black horizontal
and vertical window lines from it as well.  In comparison, Rob's color
scheme provides much better separation of tags and windows, so
removing them has less effect on the interface.

> However, I end up with the same conclusion: why?

To increase the ratio of visible, contrasting pixels used to indicate
data, program state, and commands, to pixels used to dress the screen.

> Is the 'grid' that distracting?

The black lines around each window currently have the most contrast
(black on beige and light blue), and largest scope (right to left, top
to bottom) of any element on the screen.  By giving them the least
contrast (white on beige and light blue), text and commands become
more prominent.  The lack of lines between tags serves as leading
(vertical space between horizontal lines), making each tag easier to
read.

> Also, if you have two text files open side-by-side, and your
> lines are long enough to wrap, you would have a glob of incomprehensible
> text in the middle.

I did not remove the scroll bars or dirty bits, which serve as gutters
between columns.  I agree that without them, run-on text in adjacent
columns would be very difficult to read.  Fortunately, their
functionality makes them easy to keep.

> I think at least a moderately thick grid is a necessary evil.

I agree that you have to have a grid.  I think we disagree on how
heavy and obvious you make its structural lines.

> -jack

Jason Catena