Medium's typography is simple and readable. I like reading things on Medium more than reading things on most blogs because nobody can mess it up. The focus is on the content. That's exactly what I want; I want to read and not be distracted.
The way this article is displayed, however, is not only distracting, but a perfect example of how dogma-like design choices can take away from the functionality and usability. I understand why the author doesn't believe underlines should be used to represent links, but the diamonds are the most distracting and confusing design I've seen online in a long time.
Medium could offer simple and readable blogs via an open source app and concurrently offer freemium hosting (e.g., the ghost.io and WordPress model).
I agree with the author's fundamental concerns about freedom.
I imagine some years in the future the same people heralding Medium will become its harshest critics. How many times does it take for people to be burned by proprietary apps/services before they stop using them? In the case of Medium, there are ample alternatives.The author is right that marketing Medium really is what Medium does best.
I think that's kind of the author's point, with Medium you are just consuming content. No distractions, no thought-provoking insights, no change in form, factor, or font to distract you from just consuming the article and hopefully clicking an ad afterwards.
The way this article is displayed, however, is not only distracting, but a perfect example of how dogma-like design choices can take away from the functionality and usability. I understand why the author doesn't believe underlines should be used to represent links, but the diamonds are the most distracting and confusing design I've seen online in a long time.