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Linux MPX Multi-touch Alternative to MS Surface

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the touch-me-there-no-lower-no-a-little-lower dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Gizmodo has published an article (with video) on the Linux-based free alternative to MS Surface along with a quite interesting interview with its creator, Peter Hutterer. "It may not be as fancy-schmancy as Microsoft Surface or Jeff Han's demos but this video of a Linux-based MPX multi-touch table shows that things are moving full speed ahead in the land of the free penguins. We talked with developer Peter Hutterer, who gave us his insight on the project, the iPhone and the ongoing multi-touch craze." He talks about Jeff Han's work, MS Surface and defines the iPhone as "not the first in what it's doing, but definitely a huge impact" in the field."

4 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Re:MultiMeh... by pasamio · · Score: 4, Interesting

    To be honest I use the multitouch trackpad on my Macbookpro all of the time. Two finger tap for right click, two finger drag for scrolling with the usual single finger tap for left click and single finger drag for normal drag. Multitouch in a small sense is something that I miss when I go to another laptop because I instinctively two finger tap trackpads to try to right click. No need to scroll in a special part of the track pad, no need to press a special part for left and right click. Just the gesture anywhere on the trackpad. Thats multitouch for me in action and working.

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    I always wondered where this setting was...
  2. Why not... by virgil_disgr4ce · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Build your own multi-touch sensitive display device? It's surprisingly easy:

    http://www.instructables.com/id/EJIXKOEF3ER7VN5/?A LLSTEPS

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    Limina.Log
  3. Software! by mrchaotica · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You know, Microsoft didn't invent this multi-touch stuff, and neither did Apple. Its been around as research projects for years. So why is the MS version such a big deal?

    Software!

    See, the real hard part about all this is the fact that you need to come up with a completely new set of UI conventions and implement a completely new set of applications in order to make it a useable product. Until now with MS, nobody's done that.

    From the article, this MPX thing seems to consist of nothing more than a modified X server, running "normal" (i.e., designed for a single cursor) applications. Therefore, it is not nearly as impressive as the MS Surface.

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    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  4. Re:Question: Common Practical Uses? by Tabernaque86 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Any company that has a drafting department should love it. Just develop a CAD program so you can work on a drawing on an actual "page" that could be displayed at 24"x36".

    Also, save the CAD file to a PDF, e-mail it to the client, and he can view the drawing package in full on their table, "Red Line" it/mark it up, save it, and e-mail it back.

    Considering a package can run from ten to a hundred drawings, this potentially saves a ton of paper and other resources.