Every Frame Perfect(tonsky.me)
841 points by ravenical 2 days ago | 275 comments
tl;dr: Borrowing Wayland's "every frame is perfect" goal, the author argues UI quality should be judged by whether a screenshot at any moment—including mid-animation—still makes sense. Examples from Safari, Photos, YouTube, and Preview show common failures: desynchronized animations, snapping vs. tweening mismatches, and bizarre transition paths that betray underlying technical limitations. The takeaway: polish the in-between states, not just start and end, because sloppy animations erode user trust.
HN Discussion:
  • Animations can legitimately use 'wrong' frames like smear frames since motion perception differs from static viewing
  • The article's premise is weakly argued and the 'every frame perfect' maxim is untenable
  • ~Latency matters more than animation polish; animations should be minimized or skipped
  • ~Article would be stronger with positive examples or solutions to illustrate the ideal
  • Agrees UI quality has regressed and polished in-between states matter