Hey all. Kinda new-ish to open source (always loved the idea, been using some of them for years, like VLC, audacity, handbrake, Firefox, etc) but started getting more and more into it recently, messing around with linux, running a NAS with various docker apps etc. I’m a designer, and one thing I noticed is how a lot of FOSS have terrible user interfaces. I know they are often made by engineers who focus more on functionality than design, but I also read some comments about doing kind of bad design on purpose. Like keeping things plain, boring, “function over form” kind of design. Is that a thing in the scene? I’m asking because I would like to get involved. I don’t code but I could help with design assets, user interface design etc. I’d love some small projects to build a UI/UX portfolio slowly on spare time. Anyone knows where I should look to get projects I could get involved in?
Honestly best approach is to find some small projects you feel need help. Introduce yourself to the development team and offer time and suggestions. Eventually one will say yes.
But as a visually impaired developer I’ll give you a heads up. Most pro non foss ui is freaking awfull for accessibility. The choices made over the last 20 year are just bad. OS is far from perfect. But I find the interfaces generally work way better with enlarged text then anything using modern UI ideals.
So please if you get involved. Remember accessibility is more complex the let voice assist work. Most blind folks have some vision. And rellying on the Systems accessibility options is not enough for us to be able to use software in a competitive way.
OS software using the UIs designers seem to dislike. Is generally more customisable for font sizes and colour options accross different parts of the system. In ways able folks would just never consider. This allows us to actually layout software so we only need magnifiers or text readers for things we individually rarely need to read. But can increase the stuff we do in ways that allow us to work at competitive speeds.
Modern UI design is pecomming less accessible as the software becomes much more complex but developers of ui tools seem to see disability as a 0 or 100% slowing disabled users with some ability down to the point they are unemployable.
Please please try to avoid moving the OS stuff we can use that way as well.
I work in web and educational design and we always have to keep accessibility in mind. It does limit the type of design we can do though, so it can be a bit frustrating as a designer. On my end I try to get the AA accessibility score, it’s a good middle ground. I make sure to have good contrasts in my Headings, colours, add desciptions to images etc.
one thing I noticed is how a lot of FOSS have terrible user interfaces. Like keeping things plain, boring, “function over form” kind of design. Is that a thing in the scene?
Kinda/sorta. Generally the people you have building your architecture don’t have the same skills as a designer is what it boils down to. Single dev projects don’t get the chance to outsource frontends, so they just kinda deliver something that works and call it good enough.
#DeltaChat a privacy-focused messenger would benefit a lot of a designer, take a look at https://delta.chat/ and contribute if you can! ❤️
People who make foss apps generally know and care more about programming than secondary things, such as design.
I’ve seen people with weird personal preferences, and some who seemingly perceived design as unnecessary, just getting in the way of “real” work. I think it’s mostly just lack of time and knowledge than an active decision though.
If you have thoughts about my app, I welcome them.
