Digital design, technology, and some Internet stories.

April 8, 2023
thecorner

Digital design, technology, and some Internet stories.

Digital Design, technology and the Internet have been around for decades, and their evolution has significantly impacted how visuals are created today. We will explore the history, discussing its key moments and defining the characteristics that have made it so influential.

The origins of digital design date back to the 1960s, when computers began to be used to create images. Alan Kay, an American computer scientist, was one of the pioneers of this type of design. Allan developed the first user-friendly graphical user interface for computers and created the “Smalltalk” computer language. This language allowed users to create graphic designs that could be manipulated on the computer. This significant breakthrough allowed visual elements to be made without the need to understand complex computer programming languages.

The 80s.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the Apple Macintosh computer, revolutionizing graphic design by enabling designers to use software capable of quickly creating a professional-looking digital design. This new technology, combined with the growing demand for creative content such as logos, advertisements and packaging designs, led to a boom in the graphic design industry. Designers experimented with new techniques, such as incorporating typography and manipulating colours and digital typefaces on a large scale.

Similarly, the introduction of desktop publishing software allowed designers to achieve professional results that were previously done manually and in a limited way. The software allowed the manipulation of typefaces and added special effects, such as shadows, retouching and colour gradients that had not been seen before. This revolutionized the way graphic design was done and greatly influenced the industry’s growth.

The late 1980s saw the advent of vector graphics, allowing designers to manipulate and resize artwork easily. This ushered in a new era of vector-based design, which could be used to create logos, icons and other graphics, revolutionizing how visual elements were created and allowing designers to create professional images with greater precision and creativity.

From top left: 1. The Apple Computer 1, originally released as the Apple Computer and known later as the Apple I or Apple-1, designed by Steve Wozniak, is an 8-bit desktop computer released by the Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.) in 1976. 2. The Apple Macintosh—later rebranded as the Macintosh 128K—was the original Apple Macintosh personal computer. It was pivotal in establishing desktop publishing as a general office function. 3. The first IBM PC, formally known as the IBM Model 5150, was based on a 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 microprocessor and used Microsoft’s MS-DOS operating system. 4. Aldus Pagemaker, a desktop publishing software released by Paul Brainerd and the Aldus Corporation in 1985, was initially only released for Macintosh. However, it became available for other operating systems later on. 5. FreeHand was created by Altsys Corporation in 1988 and licensed to Aldus Corporation, who released versions 1 through 4. 6. PostScript was released in 1984. Initially, it was called PostScript “Level 1”. It was added later to differentiate it from the subsequent Level 2 upgrade. In the 1980s, photo editing computer programs for personal computers were developed. The first version of Adobe Photoshop was released in 1988.

The 2000s

Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in 1998. Initially, the company started as a research project by two Stanford University doctoral students to develop a search engine that could deliver better results than existing search engines. The 2000s saw Google’s tremendous growth and success. In 2002, Google introduced its Advertising Program, which allowed businesses to display ads alongside search results.

During this period, they also introduced Gmail and Google Maps, and by the end of the decade, Google had become the most used tool and the second most successful company in the world. Many technologies and services introduced during the decade remain fundamental to the company today.

In the 2000s, web design rushed from static HTML sites to more dynamic and interactive pages capable of offering various features and services. Designers began using programming languages such as PHP, JavaScript and ASP to create robust web experiences with dynamic content, forms and multimedia. Technologies such as JavaScript and AJAX also made it possible to create a wide range of applications that could be accessed through web browsers. This period also saw the rise of Web 2.0, the popularity of blogs and social networks, and mobile web design, which optimized websites for devices such as smartphones and tablets.

In 2012, the trend was towards flat design, and the importance of UI/UX started to become more apparent. In 2013, responsive web design was introduced, allowing designers to create websites capable of adapting to different device sizes. Immediately “flat design 2.0” and the increasing use of grid systems and modular design emerged. 2015 marked the arrival of SVG images and the ability to design websites without JavaScript.

The Future.

In the coming years, digital design is expected to become even more advanced, using artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing as a source to create personalized and tailored user experiences. Augmented and virtual reality will be fully integrated into digital design, allowing users to explore and interact with all types of content in a three-dimensional environment. In addition, the digital design will become more user-centric, emphasizing usability, accessibility and collaboration. For designers, the challenge will be to creatively and conceptually generate experiences that meet user needs.

Digital design has come a long way since its inception in the 1960s, transforming how visual elements are created. Its history has been groundbreaking, with the emergence of new technologies that allow designers to create increasingly sophisticated visual effects. This has made digital graphic design an integral part of modern life, and its influence will only increase as new developments emerge.