March 2, 2025
I'm not a designer, nor am I particularly nostalgic, but I do believe that the pragmatic, function-driven design of the past was far better for technology than today's trend of oversimplification. When software design becomes so minimalist that interacting with a device feels like wrestling with a featureless box of buttons, technology transforms from a tool of empowerment to a source of frustration. However I am just a person shouting on to the clouds and this way of design took over software.
The Rise of Roundification
If there's one design trend that makes me wince, it's the dominance of rounded corners. In recent years, this style has infiltrated every corner of the digital world—from web design to software interfaces—and it's clear this battle is long lost. Nothing is unsafe from round corners. Have an object known for its sharp, defined edges? It is round and soft now. Every window, every button, every UI element now curves softly at the edges.
Windows 11's new round look
It's no longer a design choice; it's an expectation. Visit any modern web page, and you'll see rounded input fields, rounded containers, rounded profile pictures. Even the physical design of devices reflects this change. Smartphones, laptops, monitors—sharp edges have been rounded away, as if the entire tech industry agreed that corners should no longer exist. The clean, defined edges of the past have vanished, replaced by an all-encompassing softness.
Apple's Rounded Design
I Don't Care
But you know what? I don't care. I don't care why rounded corners are everywhere. I don't care if they're easier on the eyes, more "friendly," or follow some grand UX philosophy. I don't care if every designer on the planet has decided that this is the only way forward. I just want my sharp corners back.
NeXTSTEP with its gorgeous sharp corners
Yes, these are just pixels on a screen but I will argue against this mandate. When I see a sharp-edged design, whether in software or physical products, I feel like I'm in the right place. They feel professional, focused, and grounded. They give off a sense of reliability. An interface, a product with sharp corners has only one job: to work, to function, to be precise. There is no attempt to be overly friendly—just pure, structured reliability.
Windows 95
What Can I Even Do?
I can't change the way software is designed. I can't make web developers bring back sharp edges, to stop curving everything like it's made for a child's playroom. That battle is lost. But there are still some things I can do.
For Web, I use an extension called Stylus, which lets me apply custom CSS to any website I visit. With a simple snippet of CSS, I can force sharp corners back into existence.
Here's the snippet I use:
* { border-radius: 0 !important; }This single line forces every element on a webpage to obey.
Oh, and if you fancy, I also disable animations. No fades, no slides, no smooth scaling—just instant response. If that sounds good to you, here's that:
* {
animation-duration: 0s !important;
animation-delay: 0s !important;
transition-delay: 0s !important;
transition-duration: 0s !important;
border-radius: 0 !important;
}Some Example Results
I hate that I have to do this. But here we are. It's not ideal, it's not perfect, but at least it's something.