RSI, WIMPs and Pipes; What Next?

Tetard asks: "Long live the pipe! Since the `|' was invented by Doug McIlroy in 1973, has there ever been a more effective way of reusing tools and connecting data ? The mouse is a device of the Beatles era; Rather than try and provoke nostalgia in the older ones among us, I'm asking myself, as are others: when we don't try to reinvent the wheel, or at least improve it, why must we try and copy it every time ? Xerox PARC exposed us to WIMPs and we haven't done better: some innovation, some plastic surgery -- but no "paradigm shift" -- where's the creative destruction that will take us further ? Graphical component programming is turning us into click-happy bonobos^H^H^Hchimpanzees, as we fail to find new ways to manage and connect richer data streams. My web designer friends are damaged for life because of mice, and yet we persist... Where do we go from here ? If we ever invent the graphical pipe, let if have keyboard shortcuts." Yes, you've probably seen a similar question to this run by Ask Slashdot before, but this time I'm wondering if maybe we need new input devices before the WIMP paradigm is replaced with something better. Might any of you have ideas on what form these input devices might take?

For those interested, here are the previous stories that have handled this type of question:

• GUI Research - Is it Still Being Done?
• Pipes In GUI's?
• Pipes in GUI's? (Redux)

So what it will take to break us out of the WIMP box (or prison, depending on your bias), maybe new input devices would do it, but quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if a 3D interface might be another route (it would possibly spark interest in designing a new input device that would work better with 3D interfaces, or maybe data-gloves could serve this purpose?). Going on a limb, maybe this guy might just be the ticket.

Comments

WIMPs? Pipes?

[cperciva]

What do Weakly Interactive Massive Particles have to do with pipes?

Forget WIMPs

[sulli]

WIMPs are such old hat. The new metaphor is MACHOs.

(WIMP = Weakly interactive massive particle; MACHO = Massive compact halo object)

Hey, how about a few more links?!

[thesolo]

I love when I have to visit 15 Goddamned links just to understand what the fuck this guy's question is!!

How about next time, you make individual letters & punctuation into hyperlinks?! THAT WOULD RULE!!11!!

Re:Face Recognition

[sporty]

Until you sneeze and reboot your computer :)

Tongue powered interface

[loosenut]

What we need is an interface that operates like a little joystick that you put in your mouth, perhaps in the shape of one of those baby sucker things. Click by biting down, maybe have a few extra "mouse-buttons" added to the keyboard, which could be operated by two hands.

Telephone conversations may be impeded, but think of all the geek-girls you could get when they find out how much exercise your tongue gets.

So we finally can tell the office assistant

[Axe]

So we finally can tell the animated office assistant, and whatever else MS tries to stick up our asses, to FUCK OFF!! Without having to click and select..

And I can tell my project - GO, FIX YOURSELF!!

Re:We need Star Trek interfaces

[funwithBSD]

Yeah!
And the intellegent chair can read my ass for authentication!
Should help with my diet/training program as well...
"OOF! Based on your cheek patterns Captian, I am reprogramming your workout for an extra 15 minutes, and I have revoked your Krispy Kreme access on the replicator. Have a nice day" ;)