Reshare — content by Arthur RENAUD
The software interface is disappearing, and the PDF offers the most telling demonstration of it.
For years, a handful of publishers held this format in a firm grip. Annotating, adding a page, applying a signature: elementary actions, sold as premium features. Acrobat Pro still costs around 25 euros per month, after a rise of about 40% in 2023. On Linux, pdftk and Xournal had been doing the same thing for free for twenty years, provided you knew they existed, and then knew their syntax.
The open source project PaperPilot, Apache 2.0, lines up some sixty PDF operations (merging, OCR, watermarking, compression) driven in natural language. The model that interprets the request, a TinyBERT with 14 million parameters, runs offline on an ordinary PC and responds in less than two milliseconds.
No need to look for the right menu or the exact name of the operation. You describe what you want in your own words, and the machine does the translation. The publishers’ rent relied in large part on our ignorance of this vocabulary, and it evaporates along with it.
Getting things done without knowing the words to do them: that is also what an LLM is.
LinkedIn Sources
- Profile: Pierre Jean Duvivier dit Sage (LinkedIn)
- Shared author: Arthur RENAUD (LinkedIn)
The post The software interface is disappearing, and the PDF offers the most telling demonstration of it. appeared first on les plumes qui mordent.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs The Disappearing Software Interface
1 What does it mean when people say the software interface is disappearing
It means the visible controlsbuttons menus toolbarsare fading into the background The software does more on its own or responds to natural actions like typing speaking or gestures so theres less to click
2 Why is a PDF such a good example of this
Because a PDF looks like a plain page There are no toolbars or menus on the page itself Yet you can select text search comment sign and fill in forms The controls are there but theyre hidden until you need them
3 Is this the same as invisible UI
Mostly yes Invisible UI is the common term for interfaces that stay out of sight until needed Disappearing interface describes the same trend from the users point of view
4 Whats the benefit of hiding the interface
Less clutter and less distraction You focus on your contentthe document the photo the taskinstead of hunting through menus It also makes software easier for beginners because theres less to learn upfront
5 Does a disappearing interface mean the software has fewer features
No The features are still there Theyre just revealed when relevantthrough rightclick menus contextsensitive toolbars search or keyboard shortcutsinstead of being displayed all the time
6 How do I find features if I cant see any buttons
Try these
Rightclick on what youre working with
Type what you want into a search or command bar
Look for controls that appear when you select text or hover over an item
Learn a few keyboard shortcuts for tasks you do often
7 Why do my tools keep vanishing while I work
Many apps hide toolbars automatically to give you more screen space They usually come back when you move your cursor to the top or edge of the screen press a key like Esc or tap the screen Check the apps settings for an option to keep them visible
8 I cant find a menu item that used to be there Did it get removed
Maybe not In newer versions features are often moved into context menus a search box
