Why We Refused To Build Another Electron Editor
Some Mac apps feel like part of the system; others feel like websites in a Mac costume. Why DataIsland builds only native Mac software.
Topic
Essays
How we think software should work, and why.
Essays
Languages
The Strange Assumption Behind Modern Translation Software
Translation software assumes your writing is finished. For people who work across languages, translation is part of writing, not the step after it.
Essays
The Case Against Subscription Software
Subscriptions make sense for services with ongoing costs. For a finished tool, a one-time purchase is a simpler and more honest agreement.
Languages
What Right-To-Left Languages Teach Us About Software Design
Right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew expose the hidden assumptions in software design. What they teach us about building tools for everyone.
Writing
Why Writers Need Plain Text, Rich Text, and Markdown
Writing apps ask you to pick a side: plain text, rich text or Markdown. Real writing uses all three. Why formats should be tools, not tribes.
Essays
Why Most Productivity Software Creates More Work
Productivity software promises to save time every year, and every year people seem busier. Why the real enemy is interruption, not speed.
Writing
Why Writers Should Own Their Documents
Accounts close, subscriptions lapse and services disappear. A file stored under your own control stays yours. Why writers should own their documents.
Essays
The Lost Art Of Native Mac Software
Mac users once knew an app by how it felt: the scrolling, the menus, the shortcuts. Why consistency and craft in native Mac software still matter.