HACKER Q&A
📣 distcs

Examples of software/websites with good backward compatibility in UI/UX?


I am looking for examples of software and websites which do not drastically change their UI/UX every few years. The longer the software or website has been around the better it is. Looking for examples that have been around for 10-20 years but have kept their UI and UX mostly unchanged.

Why I care: Because changing the default UI input controls or changing their placement or changing how the software solves problems every few years is disruptive to efficient use of the software. I have to re-learn where those controls are or how to solve my problem in the new design.

Some examples I know that maintain good backward compatibility in their UI/UX: Vim, Emacs, Hacker News, lwn.net.

What other examples do you know?


  👤 efortis Accepted Answer ✓
Some UIs worth studying:

Inkscape, Maya, Photoshop, AutoCAD, Excel, Winamp, Final Cut Pro