New(?) vid of Sun's "Looking Glass" (quicktime)

[mainstreetmark]

http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/xtreme/shows/lg_media.html

Shows some new angles, like how you could, for some reason, rotate all your windows upside down.

[G5orbust]

Thats awesome! I hope that kind of stuff really takes off! First it was text, now GUI and next 3D GUI. But I must ask:

Is the Looking Glass environment an application instead of a bootbale OS type system (looks like its running inside a version of Solaris)? Also will it be licensed to other compaies or must they be working on similar projects to ensure compability to their systems.

[iMook]

Wow. Adding a dimension probably makes the UI much more intuitive, yet able to keep much more information accessible. Of course, mapping every application onto an object in 3-D space so smoothly probably implies steeper graphics requirements than current comnsumer OS's.

I use PCs, so I say: Microsoft, go forth and plagiarize.
If Longhorn/Windows 2008 has this, I'd jump for it.

[latergator116]

That's really cool. I think that post-it idea is awesome too.

[cr2sh]

It'd be too hard to control.. how do I get 3dimensions out of a mouse?

Combine it with that iSight video software that allows you to move your hands.. and maybe.. but until it goes to Minority Report 3d.. I'm not interested.

[sageenos]

It's not a matter of moving your mouse cursor in 3-dimensions; it's simply making interface elements into 3d objects in order to provide a broader range of capabilities.
It's sorta like 2-1/2d; 3d objects manipulated in a 2d context.

[edesignuk]

Looks very good, like Quartz Extreme on drugs. Maybe we'll see this in 10.5-6? I think it'll be while off yet though whatever happens.

[cr2sh]

Originally posted by sageenos
it's simply making interface elements into 3d objects in order to provide a broader range of capabilities.

I don't believe there's anything simple about what you're saying. How do you use your mouse now? You point and click, introducing another element into that scenario.. for depth, would require an additional button (or two) or an interface. It would become point, manupulate, and click. What advantage does that offer me?

They key is the interface - we agree on that much. :)

Also.. I believe they would be 2d objects manipulated in a 3d context.

[Marble]

I could see this as a sort of "exposé extreme". Hehe.

Well, it's cool looking that's for sure.

[G5orbust]

I just thought of this being like fast user switching in panther, just applied to every facet of the OS GUI. How sweet is that!?

[Powerbook G5]

It made me think of like Exposé 2.0 or 3.0 or something. Especially with the whole windows floating in a rotating sphere like space for you to switch between them towards the end. Quite interesting, I am sure it could evolve into quite the tool in the next few years.

[i_wolf]

the only thing i see wrong with the 'expose extreme' is that i still have to rotate through the different app windows to see which app i am looking for. In essence this is IMO just a glorified, pretty (alt - tab or command - tab ).
It still doesn't allow me to see every application at the touch of a button like F9 in expose.
I believe that this is syle over functionality, but its a step in the right direction. Another potential problem is if they are using Java 3d for the desktop even in hardware accelerated open gl, you can kiss good bye to performance! Java 3d aint well known for its performance.
Just my 2 cents.

[arn]

apparently a lot of people missed this the first time around (yes, I know the top post is a slightly different video, but that one was also linked in the comments)

http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/12/20031211055505.shtml

arn

[billyboy]

Whilst we have 2d screens as our window onto the computer world, the only appeal I can see of the 3D idea is having a 3D cube as the format of an expose style folder. Say you have a project, "My Presentation", you could have a combination of up to six apps, browser and draft with their settings saved exactly as you left them the last time you worked on the project. One click and the cube turns into six thumbnails like now in Expose and you are ready to rock.

But a folder is the limits of a 3d cube IMHO because in 2d media land, no techy has ever out invented the intuitive nature or the simplicity of viewing a book held in the hand Same applies to screens for viewing slides and movies. Even if you enjoy reading newspapers over peoples shoulders or watching high speed chases beamed onto 360 degree screens it is disorienting, which isnt good for productivity.

Expose's set of 6 2 d thumbnails would be far more effective for viewing and dragging and dropping than working with off skew pictures on a revolving cube .

Expose is not some futuristic dream.

[Powerbook G5]

Actually, I could see a really cool implementation of Exposé and the cube effect where each side of the cube is a virtual desktop space. Wouldn't that be awesome? You can flip and rotate each of the 6 sides of the cube to reveal each of the desktops. I'd love to make an app like that if Apple doesn't, but I have no clue how to program anything, not even an Apple script. :(

[Mr. Anderson]

Its cool, but mostly eye candy.

Finding things that are hidden on the desktop? I didn't think it was possible to actually lose them ;)

Expose does a good job of desktop organization. Adding some of these 3D elements almost seems like a obvious idea. But the usefulness is the issue here.

D

[FattyMembrane]

i saw this demo a while ago, and while it looks very interesting, i'm not sure if this execution is done as well as it can be. using a 3d environment on a 2d screen is always going to present difficulties, but i think that it can be done successfully. i think the biggest problem is that not much of a functional advantage is provided (i'm only going by what i've seen in videos). docking windows on the side of the screen is nice, but it takes up at least 1/4 of your monitor and picking a window out of a rotating cube seems a bit more cumbersome than picking a 2d thumbnail (a la exposé). the idea seems pretty interesting, but the implementation could be better.

[beg_ne]

Sure it looks impressive at first, but try asking yourself how/what it does thats a better implementation of what we already have on OS X?

What real use does the back of most windows have? Notes? Thats not very useful IMO, maybe some very limited uses to it.

The 3d expose type thing is the worst, everyone thinks its really cool. But all that coolness gets in the way of the usability of it. Upside down windows? Um yeah really useful. Not to mention the main point of expose is to get to ANY window NOW, with sun's implementation you only slow yourself down, as you have to rotate through every window to find the right one, which would get very annoying once you get more than half a dozen windows open.

[Powerbook G5]

I can only see one cool way this could be useful, which as I mentioned before, is a 3D cube version of virtual desktops. Just imagine just having to press "2" on your keyboard and have a Fast User Switching 3D cube rotate to your second virtual desktop and pressing "5" and having it flip over to another virtual desktop and just pressing "1" again to have it flip and rotate back to your main desktop all instantly. I personally think that'd be pretty slick while being quite useful at the same time.

[snickelfritz]

I think the key concept here is that windows and GUI elements
are going to be increasingly handled by more flexible API's like Quartz Extreme.

The 3D workspace concept seems like it's filled with logistical problems,
but handling all desktop transformations on the videocard is a good idea.
Expose is proof that it can work.