The aim of a streamlined user interface is appreciated, but the current trend towards extreme minimalism can be counterproductive. It often leads to a cumbersome experience where accessing common features or information requires unnecessary navigation.

Take, for instance, the display of the author’s name and instance. Certain Lemmy applications deem the instance trivial and choose to hide it, while others omit the author’s details from the main feed entirely, necessitating extra steps to uncover them.

Another example is the ability to view upvotes and downvotes as distinct figures. While some may only want the aggregate score, the absence of this feature overlooks the preferences of users who value this detail.

Implementing optional features like displaying author names, instances, or separate up/downvote counts gives users more control over their app experience. This way, those who prefer a clean interface can keep it that way, while those who value specific details can have them readily available.