I think the hardest thing for anyone is accepting that other people are as real as you are. That’s it. Not using them as tools, not using them as examples or things to make yourself feel better or things to get over or under.

– Zadie Smith

Featured illustrator: Chester Holme

Welcome to Issue 67!

Yesterday I officially launched the 22nd issue of Offscreen. 🎉

Through some of the most far-reaching conversations we’ve ever had in Offscreen, we covered a lot of topics that are pertinent to the big issues of today. I particularly enjoyed talking about the concept of species interdependence (how humans interact with and rely on other species to survive), and how our focus on designing in a way that benefits only one species – us – is causing that natural balance to spiral out of control. I shared some of my thoughts on this in my editor’s note of this issue, which you can also read on the Offscreen blog.

Even though we’re running a little behind schedule and therefore won’t make it to most readers before Christmas, it was important for me to end the year with a new Offscreen issue that perhaps sets a theme and raises important questions for the year ahead.

Offscreen is my main job and source of income. If you appreciate and would like to support my work, please consider ordering a copy or becoming a subscriber. Thank you! – Kai

Dense Discovery is currently read by over 20,000 subscribers. Support us by (1) Sponsoring an issue, (2) Booking a classified ad, or (3) Sharing this issue with friends and colleagues.

Make the most of your time

Sponsor

Harvest →

A simple and intuitive time tracking tool.

We all want more time to do the work that matters, but if you and your team don’t know exactly how you’re spending your time it’s hard to change your habits. Enter Harvest, a simple and intuitive time tracking tool that helps shine a light on exactly how you and your team are investing your time. Learn more

Apps & Sites

Hummingbird →

Window modifier

Easily drag and resize windows on MacOS by holding modifier keys and moving your cursor to adjust size and position. No more hunting for the window edges or title bars.

TeuxDeux →

Weekly to-do app

TeuxDeux, the “simple, designy to-do app” is turning ten years old this month! Happy birthday! If you’re after a very basic to-do-list app (web and iPhone) with a weekly overview layout, look no further. And it’s just $24 for the whole year.

Cocoon →

Private social space

I really like this idea: Cocoon is a mobile app (currently iOS only) for just you and your closest friends/family – no strangers or advertisers allowed. A range of features encourages you to share intimate moments that make you feel connected.

Free for Dev →

Freemium dev tools

An extensive list of SaaS software tools for developers that come with a free tier to get you started. Created via GitHub pull requests.

Indie Mag of the Week

Offscreen →

Offscreen is an independent print magazine that examines how we shape technology and how technology shapes us.

– Latest Issue: 22
– Frequency: 2–3 issues/year
– Formats: print only
– Origin: Australia/Germany

Every week we’re giving away five copies to randomly selected DD readers. Keep an eye on your inbox to find out if you’re among them!

Food For Thought

Building a More Honest Internet →

Read

Using the radio as a comparison, the author imagines an internet that runs more like a publicly funded service. Hard to imagine today, but one may still dream, right? “If the contemporary internet is a city, Wikipedia is the lone public park; all the rest of our public spaces are shopping malls – open to the general public, but subject to the rules and logic of commerce. (...) A public service Web invites us to imagine services that don’t exist now, because they are not commercially viable, but perhaps should exist for our benefit, for the benefit of citizens in a democracy.”

It’s Time to Get Personal →

Read

Indie advocate Laura Kalbag with a great reminder to bring back the ‘personal web’: “We can still build alternatives and work towards technology that values human welfare over corporate profit. We’ve got to take control back bit by bit, and building our own personal websites is a start.”

Vegans vs omnivores→

Read

A thoughtful, balanced essay dispelling some of the trite arguments for and against a vegan diet. “We need to move away from the false dichotomy of vegan vs omnivore. We are asking the wrong questions. It would be better to ask ‘How can we create food production systems that best meet human needs while increasing ecological health?’” (h/t Jon)

Overheard on Twitter

My design process is: me thinking for days about what I’m gonna do and finally doing it in 13 minutes and 42 seconds between two bathroom breaks.

– @syswarren

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