No, I grew up with Windows 98. Compare the quality and thought given to Windows 98 dialogs and windows compared to this GNU software in 2021.
> A GUI can follow 1995 principles without being an oppressive grey and ugly icons
> Compare the quality and thought given to Windows 98 dialogs and windows compared to this GNU software in 2021.
The NeXTSEP/GNUstep look is a little older than Windows 98, and I agree is a little less clean looking than Windows 98, but it's in no way ugly or oppressive. In fact it was a refreshing and highly acclaimed design at the time, and IMHO it still holds up pretty well three decades later.
A full decade older.
NeXTstep was demonstrated in 1987 and launched with the NeXT Cube in 1988 with v1.0 being released in 1989.
I mean, come on -- look at it next to its contemporaries: https://arstechnica.com/features/2005/05/gui/6/
Windows 2.0, OS/2 1.1, DR-GEM.
I really feel that even if someone doesn't like the grey-and-black look (I love it myself) that one _must_ admit it was streets ahead of its contemporaries.
Personally I think W95 looked better than W98, and W98 looked better than XP.