A new essay argues that design fields follow a predictable cycle, moving from simplicity to elaborate decoration and back again. This pattern is visible across centuries of architecture, from the stark Romanesque style to the ornate Notre Dame and later, the clean lines of Renaissance buildings. The author traces this same rhythm in modern software.

The trend clearly appears in technology. Early tools like the vi text editor were purely functional, while later products such as Microsoft Word became feature-heavy. Recently, however, a wave of minimalism has returned, seen in applications like iA Writer and the clean interfaces of modern Mac OS. This shift prioritizes focus over visual noise.

Looking ahead, the author predicts this cycle will inevitably reverse again. As users grow tired of minimalism, a new era of overly designed, 'Rococo' software is likely to emerge. Given software's faster development pace, this cultural shift could happen in a decade rather than a century, suggesting design trends are destined to repeat.