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DESIGN FOR HACKERS
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In Chapter , I’ll go into more detail on how the technologies behind the
Internet have created design trends, such as the Web . look. In Chapter , I’ll
explain how the limitations of the pixel have made some of the longest-lived
typeface designs incompatible with use on the web. In Chapter , you’ll learn
about how the technologies with which we represent colors can in uence our
color choices designing across mediums or when choosing colors for information
graphics. In Appendix A, I’ll explain how the various technologies used to create
letters have, over time, led to new styles of typefaces.
Aesthetic decisions
Working in concert with design intentions and characteristics of medium and
technology are the aesthetic considerations of design. When you hear it called
that, it probably brings to mind a lot of what people think of design as – the
veneer of design. But in many ways, the aesthetic decisions of design are invisible.
 e geometric relationships between things in a design are not something you
can see, but they make a huge impact on the visual harmony, the sense of
organization of content, and the overall “clean” feeling of a design. I’ll talk
about these hidden geometric relationships in Chapter , and I’ll talk about
how these geometric relationships work with other hidden principles of design
in Chapter .
 e colors we use in designing are, of course, visible. But designers make some
important though invisible decisions when working with colors. After explaining
how we perceive colors with our visual system, and how we represent colors
with various technologies (Chapter ), I’ll explain how colors can in uence our
emotions, I’ll explain how colors interact with one another, and I’ll present
some common formulas for choosing colors that go well together (Chapter ).
Conclusion
By gaining an understanding of all the various factors that a ect design, you
can create designs with emotive power, clarity, and beauty.  roughout the rest
of this book, I’ll break down all these factors, so you can see the world through
new eyes. Let’s get started, shall we?
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