Why We Crave Software With Style Over "Branding"

Finding a soul as a product today seems rare in software. The rise of CSS frameworks like Tailwind and others has lowered the bare minimum entry for making a good-looking design. It made life easier but at the same time seemed to degenerate people’s creativity. Alongside trends that come and go, many products and websites look very much the same.

Code is cheap. Money now chases utility wrapped in taste, function sculpted with beautiful form, and technology framed in artistry.

But what exactly is taste? The dictionary says it’s the ability to discern what is of good quality or of a high aesthetic standard . But who sets that standard? Taste may be subjective, but within a given culture or co... See more

Where will we see luxury software transform markets? Already, in the consumer productivity space, we’re starting to see “luxury” email clients, calendars, browsers, and search engines emerge. While all of these capabilities are freely accessible to consumers and rather commoditized, companies like Superhuman for email, Cron (now Notion) for calenda... See more

To me, brands are like software. A brand is made up of a finite number of input variables (product form factor, color schemes, tone, personality, aspirations, price, ingredients/inputs) that are its source code. These values and aesthetics are programmed, but unlike software they are not deterministic. Each consumer transacts with a brand based on ... See more