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Thread: getting away from the desktop metaphor

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  1. #1

    getting away from the desktop metaphor

    I was reading a pretty interesting article here:

    http://www.techreview.com/magazine/dec01/tristram.asp

    about the desktop metaphor and the alternatives (and there are a couple of interesting pics IMHO) and I was wondering, has anyone on the linux side of things developped anything along these lines? It would be interesting to play with...

    Although in my mind, a good way to get away from the desktop metaphor is called "the command line" ;D

  2. #2

    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor

    I just saw that one pic of about.com sorted into a basic oval shape there....

    um... how is that any different than the current heirarchal style, except sorted graphically into a circle (like a top down view of a tree), as opposed to the current textual method of a list?

  3. #3

    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor

    um... how is that any different than the current heirarchal style, except sorted graphically into a circle (like a top down view of a tree), as opposed to the current textual method of a list?
    Well that's just one of the examples...as much as I hate to say it, I liked the pic of Microsoft's idea, although its only a 3d desktop really....

    I just wonder about that stuff though...

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    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor


    I just saw that one pic of about.com sorted into a basic oval shape there....

    um... how is that any different than the current heirarchal style, except sorted graphically into a circle (like a top down view of a tree), as opposed to the current textual method of a list?
    There doesn't appear to be too much of a difference. My question is this: what have they told us in this article that is truly news worthy? What about using voice, touch, sight and hearing? They didn't mention that it is easier to use a touch screen (more intuitive) than using a mouse. It is some times easier to use voice commands (which are still a few years off, admittedly) than using a mouse or a touch screen. Voice commands (how about stating that you want to view a file that has the following data in it...blah-blah-blah) would be helpful, too.

    Humans, by and large, require more than one form of sensory input in order to work at peak efficiency. The article focused on using the normal/natural human methods of interaction when interfacing with computers. Unfortunately, it only focused on reworking the graphical user interface. This article was rather light-weight and a bit of a disappointment. Is this where our research money is going? The holo-deck is still the best example of a truly interactive (immersive) computer/human relationship around. That would be newsworthy!

    If only computer technology and software technology was as advanced as a holo-deck would require. Imagine the possibilities!

  5. #5

    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor

    It is some times easier to use voice commands (which are still a few years off, admittedly)
    True voice recognition is very far away. Last time I tried it, I try to surf to www.planetunreal.com (I was into gaming then, and I used windows). The voice recognition thing tried to surf me to "http colon slash slash www dot planet on real dot calm". That's pretty impressive stuff, huh? :

    If only computer technology and software technology was as advanced as a holo-deck would require. Imagine the possibilities!
    That would be very cool... you'd never see me again

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    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor




    True voice recognition is very far away. Last time I tried it, I try to surf to www.planetunreal.com (I was into gaming then, and I used windows). The voice recognition thing tried to surf me to "http colon slash slash www dot planet on real dot calm". That's pretty impressive stuff, huh? :
    Not being a computer scientist, I would think that you would have to specify something along the lines of: take me to a website {output = http://}; take me to a secure website {output=https://}; take me to a file transfer site {output=ftp://}. It would then be primed to insert . when dot is spoken. It doesn't seem to be too hard, but I guess it is.

    That would be very cool... you'd never see me again
    Hehehe...I would just program it for a room full of honeys and never come back, either!

  7. #7

    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor

    That would take some real hardware for 3d desktops. I don't see this happening for a while. I like my standard desktop just fine for now

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    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor


    That would take some real hardware for 3d desktops. I don't see this happening for a while. I like my standard desktop just fine for now
    I'm content with mine, too.

  9. #9

    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor

    Not being a computer scientist, I would think that you would have to specify something along the lines of: take me to a website {output = http://}; take me to a secure website {output=https://}; take me to a file transfer site {output=ftp://}. It would then be primed to insert . when dot is spoken. It doesn't seem to be too hard, but I guess it is.
    Ok, you tell me where the configuration file is, and I'll get right on it! This is a windows program we're talking about, here. It was also a few years ago, so things could be different now.

    There was a short setup procedure where it configured itself to my voice, and that was it. Also, even if I could configure it the way you said, that doesn't change the fact that it interprets "unreal" as "on real"... And no, that's not how I pronounce it.

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    Re: getting away from the desktop metaphor

    every try IBMs ViaVoice for Linux??

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