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Comment by whyileft | Hacker News Reader

> The interface is clean and refined.

Can we stop using the term "clean" to describe interfaces? Clean doesn't really mean anything in design and also is a one sided term without an opposite term that is not disparaging. Are all other interfaces that are not clean, dirty? Or unsanitary? Or cluttered? It becomes and absolute term like beautiful or professional which are all really just fluff terms for "good".

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>Clean doesn't really mean anything in design

It actually conveys pretty well that the interface is uncluttered and with a minimal aesthetic, with lots of space, etc.

>Are all other interfaces that are not clean, dirty? Or unsanitary? Or cluttered?

Obviously cluttered.

Don't really understand the objection. "Clean" has been part of UI vocabulary, and before that, of aesthetic criticism (in fine arts, architecture, industrial design, etc) for ages. ("Clean lines", etc).

Since you feel that way, would you mind showing me an example of an interface you do not consider "clean" but is of high quality and excellent usability?

How many positive terms have antonyms that aren't considered disparaging? The opposite of clean in design is usually "cluttered".

An objective antonym to "cluttered" in design is "minimal".

Personally I would use "streamlined", as "minimal" conveys to me the idea of "spartan" in the sense of (rigidly) frugal or austere.

"streamlined" is much better. Great suggestion.

Good point. I actually paused and tried to come up with something better when I was proofreading the post but failed to do so. I'll keep it mind for future posts.

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