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The minimum we should hope for with any display technology is that it should do no harm.
Edward Tufte
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Display technology should be safe and not cause any negative impact on users.

Edward Tufte emphasizes the fundamental expectation of display technologies: they must be designed in a way that does not cause any harm to users. This sentiment encourages developers and designers to focus on user well-being and the ethical implications of technology, especially in an age where screens dominate our visual experiences.

Themes

DisplayTechnologyHarmDesignEthics

In practice

Example use cases

In a presentation about user interface design, I would use this quote to highlight the importance of ethical considerations.

More from Edward Tufte

Good design is clear thinking made visible, bad design is stupidity made visible
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I have stared long enough at the glowing flat rectangles of computer screens. Let us give more time for doing things in the real world...plant a plant, walk the dogs, read a real book, go to the opera.
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There is no such thing as information overload, just bad design. If something is cluttered and/or confusing, fix your design.
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PowerPoint is like being trapped in the style of early Egyptian flatland cartoons rather than using the more effective tools of Renaissance visual representation.
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If you’re told what to look for, you can’t see anything else.
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Design cannot rescue failed content.
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