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This is exactly as I see it working out.

I can't even reach the screen on my 24" iMac from where I am sitting. A multi-touch screen / keypad to replace the keyboard and mouse would work, at least with desktop computers.

Look in Junes imac issue - - can't remember the persons name but he has been selling a keyboard that actually changes to whatever program you are using like a skin, then the article went on to say APPLE has a patient (new) for Apple Touch Keyboard, so if you load photoshop, all the keyboard short cuts are there, same for games. This will probably happen within next few years - problem is, many need the feel of tactile, so they will have to deal with that as a keyboard simply like a large iphone won't cut it.
 
Would also like to see a paper size flexible screen that you can load documents onto and flip to read and store 100+ pages on it so you can read articles, and more. I think that will happen sooner rathe than later.

OLED prototypes are already out - paper sized flexible screen you can literally roll up - brighter and crisper than LED.


It's cool and no doubt Apple will follow suit.

Follow suit? Already been in progress.
 
the me too game

That's kind of funny because in reality glass or some other more expensive type of screen needed to do multi-touch will keep companies from selling more computers. That or raise the price.

And by the time M$ ships Windows 7 Mac OS XI will be out and have the same multi-touch type interface.

This is more of a hardware thing than any software.

ymmv :)

IIRC, Bill Gates said there is a push for Windows 7 to ship in late 2009. M$ being sticklers for punctuality, we know they will not let the date slip.

W7 is architecturally the same as Vista; it just incorporates a face lift and some new features. Prior to Vista's poorer than expected sales, Windows 7 was a planned revolutionary shift to drop legacy support and simplify the platform. It has since been dumbed down and cobbled together to be quickly thrown out the door.

I was hoping a paradigm shift would increase competition between Windows and OSX (tech wise). That would almost certainly mean good things for us. Now it seems OSX (or OSXI) won't be challenged until Windows X, sometime in 2525.
 
But thanks to the fact that we live in a nominally free society, we both have the right to hold our own, opposing views on this.

Mine, as someone who lost family in the camps, is that it's a question of perspective and tolerance. Specifically, if we tolerate one level of lie, we are naturally predisposed to tolerate varying levels of lies on a sliding scale.

If, as a society, we were more vocal and less tolerant of lies, there would be a genuine culture that seeks the truth, instead of versions that have been spun, and the liars wouldn't be in charge.

So you see my point was more than valid, it was central to who we are. We are either seekers of truth and decency, or tolerators of lies and deception. Sadly, we are all the latter, right up to the point where we recognise the mistakes and misdeed of the past, stand up and say: "No More!"

But while we have a debate about what is and is not an acceptable analogy, we do at least have hope. But denying that there is a link is irresponsible.

Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer are the most senior personnel in the most powerful company in the world. They both regularly lie. We tolerate it. Our governments allow torture and rendition and start illegal wars on the basis of lies. We tolerate it.

When they sold me an operating system that was crap, I said nothing. When they sold me a car that killed my family, I said nothing. When they sold me a war, I said nothing. When they came for my neighbour - he didn't look like me, so I did nothing. When they for me, there was no-one left to speak.

No animals or real humans were injured in the making of this illustration.


Just for the record, the Nazi commander who had that particular gate installed--Hoss, I believe his name was--was a former POW during the Weimar years who, by all accounts, really believed that manual labor helped him build character and survive his internment.

As a majority of the people locked up and/or murdered at Auschwitz didn't understand written German--most were from eastern and central European countries--most historians have concluded that the 'arbeit macht frei' gate, like those found at multiple concentration camps, were there to subliminally reassure the workers more than the prisoners.

Even if it was appropriate to include a computer company with questionable motives/practices/marketing strategies in an anology with death camps--which it isn't--the comparison doesn't make any sense.
 
Truthfully, what source of progress do we have for any type of a Mac tablet other than rabid speculation?

The iPhone, iPod Touch, Multi-Touch Pad - these were the first things introduced on the roadmap of 'Touch' technology by Apple.
 
When they sold me an operating system that was crap, I said nothing. When they sold me a car that killed my family, I said nothing. When they sold me a war, I said nothing. When they came for my neighbour - he didn't look like me, so I did nothing. When they for me, there was no-one left to speak.

No animals or real humans were injured in the making of this illustration.
Do you seriously believe a company that sells Office applications, a computer operating system, a mp3 player, and a gaming console is comparable to starting illegal wars, torturing, genuine culture that seeks the truth, or anything to do with Nazis and camps? Something is seriously wrong with you...
 
Ok, I gave up trying to read everything before I post, so forgive me if I'm repeating...

Does anyone else think the reason everything is done with two hands, rather than finger and thumb, is because they can't reliably track a finger and thumb? That's part of what makes the demo look so awkward-- two fingers stabbing at the screen. That, and using a laptop that looks like it's about to tip over backwards.

I really think MS made a mistake in showing this. It's obviously a me-too demo that would have been better kept under wraps until they had it streamlined. I think they wanted to preempt WWDC, which ironically, probably will not introduce multitouch throughout the OS and just sets up the Apple PR team with an opportunity to discuss how MS has done a great job of demonstrating why a multitouch display is such a bad idea.

When OS X does include it, I expect it to be along the lines of inkwell. Absolutely fantastic for certain applications, but a sideshow for the rest of us. There will be no point in making extensive use of this until the MB display can fold over backwards- and even then, everything will require an alternate (non touch) input method.

Plus, I fail to see the benefit of multi-touch in Microsoft's example; they started with a typical organized computer screen and turned it into a jumbled mess. :confused:
That was my first thought too-- it's the desktop equivalent of finger painting. That demo is appalling.
all stemming from the famous landmark decision made by a court after a particularly public lawsuit by a consumer who developed whiplash from using this type of display in 2015.
Just had to add that the lawsuit you describe will almost certainly be leveled against Apple. I don't understand why, but they're a magnet for this kind of thing.
I can see multi touch becoming very useful.. just not with the standard setup we use today.

People have this perception that a screen must be perpendicular to a surface.
There's a good reason my screen must be perpendicular to my desk-- there's no room for it flat. As much as I wish I could get away without it, I still need paper and books. I don't think that will change anytime soon, and I just can't clear out a 20" diagonal space for a display.

I think the hardware for this should come from the likes of Cintiq-- give me a flat LCD tablet that I can use as a peripheral if my work has a use for it.
 
Do you seriously believe a company that sells Office applications, a computer operating system, a mp3 player, and a gaming console is comparable to starting illegal wars, torturing, genuine culture that seeks the truth, or anything to do with Nazis and camps? Something is seriously wrong with you...

Think again,

Concerns about disturbing symbolic messages using the WingDings, and then using the same three keys in Webdings, which Microsoft believed it had assuaged nearly a decade ago, had resurfaced in the wake of terrorist attacks on New York.

Using MS Webdings font 72 pt, Type N-Y-C
Change to Wingdings font 72 Pt - N-Y-C

Odds of this being a coincidence are less than one in 1 trillion. They still haven't fixed this, by the way.................
 

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Think again,

Concerns about disturbing symbolic messages using the WingDings, and then using the same three keys in Webdings, which Microsoft believed it had assuaged nearly a decade ago, had resurfaced in the wake of terrorist attacks on New York.

Using MS Webdings font 72 pt, Type N-Y-C
Change to Wingdings font 72 Pt - N-Y-C

Odds pf this being a coincidence are less than one in 1 trillion.
Yes, Microsoft is the epitome of evil and is now behind 9/11 attacks. What are you getting at?


G58 said:
Is logic completely lost on you altogether?

The very fact that you're prepared to argue against a point that I haven't made suggests it is.

Go back and read what I wrote again and think before you post please.
Well then may I ask you to clarify. You used a common analogy of the Holocaust "When they came for me..." including Microsoft selling you a OS, as the first "step" in them "coming for you". Next was killing your family by selling you a car. This is laughable, and no matter how you try to justify it, it was plain stupid and shows how childish you disdain for Microsoft is.
 
Yes, Microsoft is the epitome of evil and is now behind 9/11 attacks. What are you getting at?

Behind the attacks? I doubt it, but wouldn't rule it out. If this is the work of an employee, shame on him/her. What is questionable is why MS hasn't, in nearly seven years, corrected this disgraceful atrocity? MS has been associated with anti-semitism for quite some time, and this is only one small tidbit.
 
I think it is funny how Microsoft reveals this and so many people complain about how useless it is and how no one cares.

Yet go to some other threads, before the Air came out for sure, and everyone is talking about a tablet and multi-touch on their laptops.


Hah.
 
What if Apple made something like this? this has a large multitouch surface that can be used with your fingers OR a stylus for when you need greater precision, a virtual keyboard that appears at the bottom of the screen kind of like the dock when set to autohide, and you will be seating and working in a natural way.

What do you guys think?
~fagosu
 

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I think it is funny how Microsoft reveals this and so many people complain about how useless it is and how no one cares.

Yet go to some other threads, before the Air came out for sure, and everyone is talking about a tablet and multi-touch on their laptops.


Hah.

Big difference - MS involves blocking/touching the screen and getting arm fatigue while Apple's Multi-Touch pad allows you to do the same without smudging/blocking the screen and getting arm fatigue.
 
i think jobs is more than aware that as it stands currently, touch as a MAIN feature for a computer is useless

What the heck is a "MAIN" feature? It would certainly be the major selling point to a tablet PC. Beyond that, can you say endless awful fingerprints? Oh wait, my iPod Touch has them all over the place.
 
Behind the attacks? I doubt it, but wouldn't rule it out. If this is the work of an employee, shame on him/her. What is questionable is why MS hasn't, in nearly seven years, corrected this disgraceful atrocity? MS has been associated with anti-semitism for quite some time, and this is only one small tidbit.
Actually, the font was made by font design firm Bigelow & Holmes, only to be purchased by Microsoft in 1990. Second, don't you think changing the symbols on a 18 year old font would cause problems? What would happen when people wanted to transfer their work into the newer version? You should read this... [Wired]
 
Big difference - MS involves blocking/touching the screen and getting arm fatigue while Apple's Multi-Touch pad allows you to do the same without smudging/blocking the screen and getting arm fatigue.
Yes, but what about the supposed progress of an Apple "tablet"? Obviously that would require touching the screen, would it not?
 
What do you guys think?
~fagosu

Very cool illustration, but the problem would be that if I'm to use the "desk" as any sort of work surface -- to put papers on, to read a book, to hold my coffee cup, to write with a pen and paper -- I would be very afraid of damaging the monitor surface, or at the very least wary of touches from my arms, elbows, pen, etc. being misinterpreted by the computer. Quick, look down at your desk -- I bet it's cluttered with stuff, just like mine. A screen like that would require us all to be ridiculously neat and tidy.
 
and nothing of value was gained.......

does M$ really think that every computer is going to have multitouch screens when this gets released in 3, no 4, no 6 years?

I love when people do their seer seeing routine just to put Microsoft down. Yet when Steve Jobs announces full multi-touch for MacOSX in the future, those SAME people will go on and on about how awesome MacOSX is and how far ahead it is than stupid old Windows. Hypocrisy is rampant in the Mac "community".

its nice on a small device, but for an actual computer its pretty pointless,

I'm sure the same thing was said about the MOUSE the first time it was demonstrated. Oh how cute! But how is THAT going to be of any use on my (command line based) PC? Once again, 100% worthless technology that has NO place in computing!

Honestly, if you can't see the value of being able manipulate a graphical user interface DIRECTLY without needing a mouse, you don't deserve a graphical interface computer, IMO. Heck, I'm just waiting for a flight simulator where I can touch the actual cockpit controls on-screen without having to use a mouse which slows the interaction down by 3-5x what it would take to touch the switch directly. As larger and larger flat-screen monitors become cheaper and cheaper, the value of being able to say touch a dock icon instead of having to reach for the mouse and click it will become obvious. Being able to pick up say 2-5 dock icons and rearrange their positions by simply moving your fingers will magnify productivity for many operations.

Let's make it simpler. Imagine being forced to type with just 1 finger instead of 10!!! THAT is the comparison people will one day make to compare using a mouse to direct touch for many operations (Oops, I just gave M$ it's name to avoid being sued for calling it "multi-touch"). I can foresee holographic glasses overlay interface some day for compact computers whereby you manipulate your environment completely with your fingers in a virtual touch-screen environment. Or do you think someone would want to have to pull out a mouse from their pocket to move the pointer around in front of you? Put a tracking device onto a glasses clip on that tracks your fingers just like newer digital camera track faces and you're in business. Heads-Up Computing! Who gets there first is beside the point to me. I simply want easier/faster interfaces to get things done BETTER.

also did anyone see how buggy/not userfriendly the pictures rotate and expand?

It's an alpha stage demonstration and you're nit-picking? Where's Apple's demonstration for direct screen manipulation that you can pick M$'s apart?
 
Yes, but what about the supposed progress of an Apple "tablet"? Obviously that would require touching the screen, would it not?

Well, first of all, a tablet is a special form-factor device. What goes into a tablet is not the same as what goes into a laptop or desktop PC and monitor. So you can do special things with a tablet (such as touch all over the screen) and get away with it even though doing those same things would be a bad idea on other form factors. When you buy a tablet, you know what to expect going in. You hold a tablet in your hand, so there's no issue with distance there.

We don't even know, at this point, that an Apple tablet is actually happening.

I can't see multi-touch happening on current form-factor laptop screens or vertical-orientation desktop monitors. Try it -- go ahead, put your arm up and pretend to touch your big 20" monitor from where you're sitting right now. Keep that up for a few minutes as you pretend to surf or organize your photos. Arms getting tired yet?
 
All this tells me, is that Ballmer has his head stuck up his fat ass. If Gates was smart he would put a shock collar on his gorilla, and train it.
 
Behind the attacks? I doubt it, but wouldn't rule it out. If this is the work of an employee, shame on him/her. What is questionable is why MS hasn't, in nearly seven years, corrected this disgraceful atrocity? MS has been associated with anti-semitism for quite some time, and this is only one small tidbit.

1. M$ demos Windows 7 features
2. People go insane
 
1. M$ demos Windows 7 features
2. People go insane

3. People associate anti-semitism and possible terrorists attacks to Microsoft, along with comparisons to drug dealers, death camps, illegal wars, and such.

4. Apple demos future touch-enabled Mac OS X features

5. World cheers.

Apple really has something here...
 
Very cool illustration, but the problem would be that if I'm to use the "desk" as any sort of work surface -- to put papers on, to read a book, to hold my coffee cup, to write with a pen and paper -- I would be very afraid of damaging the monitor surface, or at the very least wary of touches from my arms, elbows, pen, etc. being misinterpreted by the computer. Quick, look down at your desk -- I bet it's cluttered with stuff, just like mine. A screen like that would require us all to be ridiculously neat and tidy.

Well, that's why it has holders on the side(s), you can put your pens and coffee there, and the surface will be smart enough to recognize when you touch it with your fingers or stylus and when you rest your arms or elbows in it. Also, picture charging/syncing your iPod/iPhone just by putting them on the desk, and on a productivity note imagine tracing your sketches in photoshop in this thing! :cool:
 
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