--- title: Unwatching the detail? description: Big problem just about every project I’ve ever worked on has been the rush to get something out the door. Estimates rarely stack up. Last minute changes and scope creep mean that there’s always more to do than was first thought. However, when it came to Apple’s software I was always impressed by the level […] url: https://canonical.com/blog/unwatching-the-detail-2 --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical "More about Canonical") 11 September 2009 # Unwatching the detail? [Design](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/design) --- Share the article Big problem just about every project I’ve ever worked on has been the rush to get something out the door. Estimates rarely stack up. Last minute changes and scope creep mean that there’s always more to do than was first thought. However, when it came to Apple’s software I was always impressed by the level of polish it exhibited. Over the years and no doubt in part due to increases in popularity and complexity we’re now in a situation where little things like the image below make it into releases. I can’t very well unwatch this podcast given that it’s an audio podcast! What’s sillier is that I think the previous menu item in that place offered the option to simply mark it as new. What was wrong with that? This menu has also grown beyond all recognition and is now crazy long. I’m sure we didn’t really need all of those options in response to a right click. It’s only a tiny thing but it’s the kind of issue I think we in the design community in open source strive to avoid because it makes us look shoddy. I can’t help but feel that a company like Apple with such a fine pedigree shouldn’t be showing it’s working like this. I like to hold up Apple as an example of coherent thinking and good design. I hope that this and the issues being reported with the iPhone 3.1 updates aren’t part of a trend. On the plus side it does at least show that they’re only human after all [Get in touch Interested in running Ubuntu in your organization?](https://ubuntu.com/about/contact-us/form) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. In submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Notice](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy/contact) and [Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/data-privacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### What designers should know about semiotics](https://canonical.com/blog/what-designers-should-know-about-semiotics) What happens when you look at an apple? When you see it, you perceive the apple and assign meaning to it based on your language, experience, and personal preferences – such as... [Sophie Carroll](https://canonical.com/blog/author/sophiecarroll) 15 October 2026 [### Challenges designers face in open source (and how to fix them)](https://canonical.com/blog/challenges-designers-face-in-open-source-and-how-to-fix-them) Open source powers up to 90% of modern software, yet many projects lack usability. Canonical’s Design team surveyed 115 cross-functional professionals to uncover the 4 core... [Kola Ojoodide](https://canonical.com/blog/author/kola-ojoodide) 26 June 2026 [### Template: Streamlining open source design contributions](https://canonical.com/blog/template-streamlining-open-source-design-contributions) As designers working at Canonical, we’re always thinking about open source. We believe that encouraging more designers to contribute to open source benefits everyone, from the... [Nina Rojc](https://canonical.com/blog/author/ninarojc) 16 June 2026 [### Decoding design: How design and engineering thrive together in open source](https://canonical.com/blog/decoding-design-how-design-and-engineering-thrive-together-in-open-source) Open source thrives on engineering-driven processes. Fast feedback loops, terminal tools, Git workflows: they’re the lifeblood of how we build software in the open. But for... [Miguel Divo](https://canonical.com/blog/author/mdivo) 22 May 2026