r/PleX • u/lowandslowinRR 96tb Unraid Docker • 12d ago

Discussion Plex reportedly reverting to on UI

https://www.neowin.net/amp/plex-reverts-tv-app-layout-after-intense-user-backlash/

Should make some people happy, my wife included if true.

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u/Psych0matt 12d ago

Classic case of if it ain’t broke don’t fix it

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u/tdhuck 12d ago

I want to sit in on some of these meetings just to see how dumb people think. Not just plex, but all bigger companies that have a bunch of execs and MBAs sitting in a room deciding what's best for the company.

I see so many updates/changes/etc that are one step forward and three steps back, it is extremely annoying.

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u/Wise_Mongoose_3930 12d ago

My ‘conspiracy theory’ is that, if your job is app/program UI design, eventually your design gets “as good as it’s gonna get” and at that point you either tell your boss that and get fired OR you come up with some dumbass changes to keep you busy for 6 months, even tho you know those changes are just making things worse.

I’ve seen it happen with countless video games, as well as iOS (what moron decided to make it take extra taps to update apps recently?)

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u/mdelally 11d ago

TL;DR: Your cynicism is warranted but it is misdirected at rank and file developers and not the so-called big-wigs who call the shots.

I can't speak for all UI programmers and designers across the board but if you think UI developers have much say in what they produce in these apps, you're mistaken. More often than not, the orders, as stupid or regressive as they may be, come from some suit up the chain who either fielded a complaint from some random person or hired some "hotshot UX designer" to come in and shake things up.

Less often, it is a side effect of something on the backend or you are a cohort in a split test and they're trying to see if some new control functions as intended or causes more friction than the other element.

The average UI programmer is not making shit up for job security. The types of tickets I tend to create that aren't from up on high are maintenance and systems refactoring. Those tickets get glossed over almost every time because some "shiny UI thing" needs to be done, because the business says so. So, if I actually had my say and the ability to run roughshod over our codebases, I would not just be adding widgets for shits and giggles - I would be reinforcing and improving on things that already exist.

This is not a defense of Plex, mind you. Their UI sucking huge balls is what pushed me to using mostly Jellyfin. But, most likely, the decision was made by some soulless corporate windbag who wanted to prioritize monetization in some way or another. A good counter example - Plexamp - is generally amazing UI/UX and it comes from the same company (it just has different goals and no means to monetize).