Why are there no "standard texts" on designing software interfaces? (or tell me I'm wrong?)
If you want to learn to *build* software, there are excellent and complete texts on the subject. It's not just a tech-vs-art thing: there are standard texts on type, drawing, color, etc.
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I also wonder why there don't seem to be books, or much formal study and theory, on UI frameworks (and closely related SW like windowing systems, web browser engines, document renderers) from a technical design & implementation pov. Compare to OS kernels or language compilers.
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seems like an important category of software with common patterns and difficulties that arise again and again but is only understood through lore and individual/tribal knowledge. or am I just not aware of what's out there?
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No, I think this is right. I was exposed to an astonishing amount of tacit tribal knowledge working on UIKit, much of it dating back to AppKit from the NeXT days… but rarely written down anywhere.