MacPaint

The 40-Year-Old Drawing App That Still Beats Photoshop, Procreate, and Everything Else

MacPaint didn’t just invent the digital canvas—it solved it. Every drawing app since has been a variation on a 40-year-old theme. This article argues that the fundamental UI paradigm for 2D digital drawing is already optimal, and modern attempts to ‘innovate’ only add friction. The best tool might be the simplest one.