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Sun Wants to Make Linux 3D

gruenz writes "Linux Planet writes in this article about a project inside Sun developing "an experimental 3D successor to Java Desktop that they believe will change the way we interact with computers." A demo is available from Sun. 'In the demonstration, Jonathan Schwartz, vice president of Sun's software group, increases the transparency of a window so that you can see through it, turns a window on its side so that it sits at the edge of a screen like a book on a book shelf, turns a window completely around and leaves a note on the back, and takes a database of CDs presented as physical CDs, that you flip through, reading the labels, just as you would with real CDs, until you locate the one you want.'" It's called Looking Glass, in case you've heard that name before.

20 of 545 comments (clear)

  1. I Know This! by dupper · · Score: 5, Funny
    This is Unix!

    /Obscure?

    1. Re:I Know This! by adamofgreyskull · · Score: 2, Funny

      I never thought I'd say this...but..cloned dinosaurs and stupid teen hackers are not mutually exclusive.

  2. Now all Sun has to do by Trigun · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is make a processor that will run it!

    Where's my 3GHz Sparc?

  3. 3-D Desktop in java.... by vivek7006 · · Score: 1, Funny

    This puppy would be lightning fast !!

  4. Remember... by MarkMcLeod · · Score: 4, Funny

    When Zero Cool and his 'leet group of hackers infiltrated the Gibson. That's what this reminds me of, infinite ammounts of stupid. Except better. Sort of.

  5. Confusing by NewNole2001 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just think how confusing it would be when the machine locks up and all the windows start spinning like a ballet company on crack.

  6. Attention Sun Infidels by Rogerborg · · Score: 3, Funny

    Please stop watching Minority Report. That was fiction. Fic-shun.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  7. Re:Eye candy is nice :-) by bofkentucky · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't see much use for attaching sticky notes to the "backs" of windows
    Password lists, more secure than on a post-it under the keyboard or in the desk drawer.

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    09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0
  8. Sun wants to make Linux 3D by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I dunno...the 2D version fits a lot better in my CD case.

  9. This technology is years old... by aixou · · Score: 2, Funny
  10. Re:Sun: Last people to design a UI by sdcharle · · Score: 2, Funny
    Sun has no history of doing _anything_ at all interesting in terms of UI work.

    Well, that's an American tradition, esp. in politics. Watch the ads: 'I have no experience working with other people to create and get bills passed. I am teh Washington outsider! Vote for me!'

    Sun is just applying this winning formula to technology.

  11. Obligatory... by CrazyTalk · · Score: 2, Funny
    "I know this! This is Unix!"

    Once again, life imitates art - or, movies about dinosaurs coming back to life.

  12. In other news by FictionPimp · · Score: 2, Funny

    The speed of moving large files will now depend on your phyisical strenght, and you will now be forced to store files in large bins pulling out one after another until you find the file you needed.

  13. Re:Sun: Last people to design a UI by cosmo7 · · Score: 2, Funny

    do you always know what CD you want to play? i've got one of those big CD sleeve case things that stores about 100-odd discs. often when i'm in the car i'll open it onto my lap and flip through the pages until something i see catches my eye and then in the CD player it goes.

    Taken to its logical conclusion this interface would simulate things like the wrong CDs being in the wrong boxes, missing inlay cards, and that stack of CDs that you couldn't get back into the cases because you were all bonged up.

  14. Re:Did I miss something??????? by 0x0d0a · · Score: 3, Funny

    Did I miss something when I installed Linux?

    Where are the nekkid chicks on my wall paper?


    here. You probably used Red Hat or SuSE. Given time, Open Source fills all niches.

  15. Re:Other 3D file system visualizers by junklight · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why oh why oh why?

    It would be all very well if it was as quick and easy as menus/windows etc. but for instance navigating around in ROOMS is like quake. I don't want to take 20 seconds to run round from my projecft folder to my docs folder (for example).

    Virtual desktops do this kind of thing better too.

    I can see that if I had a VR working environment it might be good but my screen is 2d and very accessible thank you very much (especially with 2 monitors)

  16. Re:Eye candy is nice (more pressing issues) by jrockway · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think that's called a stack trace :)

    --
    My other car is first.
  17. Re:Exactly! by egonh · · Score: 2, Funny

    Rule number four:

    Remember to include some line breaks into your error messages from time to time.

  18. Re:This again!? by Kor49 · · Score: 2, Funny
    He means the non-game screens of 3d engine powered games, such as options screens, server browsers, etc.

    Obviously those guys know something about UI design and are smart enough not to use the readily available 3d engine for such tasks. It just adds nothing.

    Before looking at how information is rendered on OS screens, it's better to look at how information is represented, such as the concept of a file, event based GUI's, etc. If you've got the right idea, I think the rendering part seldom gets in the way...

  19. Re:Other 3D file system visualizers by JohnFluxx · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nah it would be much faster to get around for experts. They would know how to rocket jump.