“Plain text has been around for decades and it’s here to stay.” – Unsung

A short reflection on the enduring relevance of plain text and ASCII diagramming tools, highlighting three modern tools (Mockdown, Wiretext, Monodraw) that bring a contemporary take to a 1970s–1980s aesthetic. The post explores why constraint-based design remains valuable, especially as AI makes computing more capable, and celebrates the portability and longevity of monospace plain text as an interface paradigm.