Basic Apple Guy
basicappleguy.com · Personal blog · on HN since 2021
Basic Apple Guy writes about Apple software and hardware, including macOS icon history, product naming, and interface design.
What HN saysHN links it for the macOS icon history and Golden Gate icon comparison, which commenters use to show that icon designs mattered to people.
29HN people shared it
6linked it in comments
36stories submitted
2.4Kstory points
4 months agolast shared
2021people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1macOS Golden Gate icon comparison5 people · 6 points · first shared 2026 · discussion on HN
- 2macOS Icon History3 people · 255 points · first shared 2025 · 102 comments on HN
- 3$9.99/month2 people · 404 points · first shared 2022 · 476 comments on HN
- 4You Might Also Like1 people · 559 points · first shared 2022 · 291 comments on HN
- 5The AirPods Pro 3 flight problem1 people · 513 points · first shared 2025 · 274 comments on HN
- 6System Preferences Reimagined on macOS1 people · 248 points · first shared 2022 · 255 comments on HN
- 7Lesser known Apple Watch workouts1 people · 139 points · first shared 2022 · 57 comments on HN
- 8The WinRAR approach1 people · 125 points · first shared 2025 · 103 comments on HN
- 9The Applecare Hustle1 people · 79 points · first shared 2021 · 105 comments on HN
- 10Apple Products 2021: 'Meh' 3 of 20211 people · 7 points · first shared 2021 · 21 comments on HN
- 11Do Not Distrub1 people · 4 points · first shared 2021 · discussion on HN
- 12iOS Icon History1 people · 3 points · first shared 2025 · 1 comments on HN
- 13macOS Bliss Wallpaper1 people · 3 points · first shared 2021 · discussion on HN
- 14Apple Easter Eggs1 people · 3 points · first shared 2024 · discussion on HN
- 15Apple Vision Pro: 1 Year Later1 people · 2 points · first shared 2025 · discussion on HN
What HN people wrote when they linked it
armchairhacker · 2025-10-05
See also https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/macos-icon-history which was posted before.
My favorite icons for most apps are from 2013.
codeptualize · 2022-03-16
Check out https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/what-does-air-mean
But yeah it now is the mid-tear iPad, the article describes the current meaning as "best for most", which imo describes it well.
JSR_FDED · 2026-06-22
This attention to detail is making me optimistic:
https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/macos-golden-gate-icon-compar…
Im addition to the 263 small things that were on a single slide at WWDC 26
michelb · 2026-06-11
That is true.
I thought this was funny to see as well, although these icons redesigns happen with every MacOS release I think: https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/macos-golden-gate-icon-compar…
lapcat · 2025-08-26
> All I'm saying is that these icons have obviously never mattered to anyone
That's not true. You can see the history of the Disk Utility icon here: https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/macos-icon-history
Look at the original 2001-2007 version, which was the nicest. It's only gotten worse over time, unfortunately. The 2020 version got an unnecessary rounded rect because macOS Big Sur introduced iOS rounded rects as a new style, and then the 2025 went completely rounded rect because Tahoe enforces it on every app.
I personally have Disk Utility in my Dock, by the way.
jfg · 2022-06-14
looks like an updated version of one of his own designs:
https://basicappleguy.com/basicappleblog/making-waves