On Tools and the Aesthetics of Work – Cal Newport:

The modern computer, with its generic styling and overloaded activity, creates a cognitive environment defined by urgent, bland, Sisyphean widget cranking

He’s got that right. Also, check out the Mythic I that he links to in the article. Beautiful!

Another quote that Newport highlights is the following from Keegan McNamara:

That combination of craftsmanship and utility, objects that are both thoroughly practical and needlessly outrageously beautiful, doesn’t really exist anymore. ‘And it especially doesn’t exist for computers.

It would be cool if it did.