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Linux MPX Multi-touch Alternative to MS Surface
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."
Meh. All this multitouch hype is such a fad. Sure, it's great eye candy, but it's totally impractical. Do you really think that shit is going to scale down to the size of a phone!? Oh, wait...
The "cue the foo posts in 3, 2, 1..." posts will commence with no subsequent foo posts in 3, 2, 1...
I love how the community words stuff, sounds like a child being envious of big brother syndrome. I don't consider Microsoft offerings superior to others, just pointing out the wording and what is sounds like. I hear that kind of stuff way too often. Linux should be comfortable in what it is and not feel the need to compare.
...that someday soon, we can run Linux on a big-ass table?
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
Im was trying to work out what the big deal is here....there have been multi-touch drivers around for quite a while now and that video on the table looks rather primative compared to what a lot of DIY enthusiasts have running (e.g. overhead projector). Then I realised that the big deal is having multiple input devices for one X session and that the multitouch table is actually getting in the way of that and has the potential to be quite interesting. Anyone up for missile command? :)
Build your own multi-touch sensitive display device? It's surprisingly easy:
A LLSTEPS
http://www.instructables.com/id/EJIXKOEF3ER7VN5/?
Limina.Log
I felt it would have been better had they used an actual flat-screen touch monitor. The shadows from the projector kinda killed it. Put a decent touch-screen monitor down there and we may have something.
Also, I don't think it would have taken much to add Beryl for that extra bling that MS can't offer.
There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
Maybe it's just me, but I'm not seeing any widespread practical use for this critter outside of some extreme niches (e.g. kiosk or limited industrial or medical machine interfaces).
Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
You know what makes the video demo in TFA more impressive that the Microsoft Surface demos I've seen?
This demo uses real applications! It's easy for MS (or whoever) to throw together a video of someone using a neat interface. You see all kinds of slick animations of photo-libraries and data being automatically uploaded to cellphones. The problem is it's probably all fake--the visual equivalent of a mockup. Basically they are showing you the way they *hope* it will look at work. If you look at some of the older Vista demos (before it was released) you'll see alot of mockup video that was never realized into actual code.
In this demo, they actually start by using Google Earth and scrolling through webpages. The fact that they are using real applications is much more impressive. It makes me believe that they may have something functional in a reasonable amount of time. It also shows that they are thinking about it as an extensible platform that can run generic software, rather than something locked-down that will only run approved code (i.e. just a really big PDA interface, rather than a novel way to interface with existing computer hardware and software).
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.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
I can finally touch my pr0n.
Are these table displays going to be the first need for arbitrary window rotation? We'll be having people sitting on all sides of the display - eventually someone will want a window squared to them, but they won't be squared to the table. Does this cause difficulties with rendering the content?
Everything should be vector drawn, so theoretically it shouldn't be a problem. But it will require pretty high resolution to keep from getting too fuzzy of text. At least that's how it seems to me.
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
MS 'Surface' is an array of cameras that motion-detect. The cameras are below the surface and they are responsible for all proxy work done between user and the system.
There is no interaction with the 'surface' other than to prescribe a boundary layer (zone) for the cameras to baseline.
Did anyone notice in that video that he had to click couple times to get some of the widgets to activate?
Maybe the mouse still has some advantage?
Of course not. Everyone on Slashdot knows Apple invented multitouch for the iPhone.
The US free market: two halves of a government-granted duopoly are free to set the market price.
When will Microsoft do something original?
funny coming in with an article praising linux for ripping of ms.
but then again what can we expect from people who also think that ripping off unix is innovation?
Hmmm, over 5 years? OK so you try to make a point while knowing the facts on only one side. You're obviously spreading a little FUD by making readers assume microsoft through this idea together recently, although they started working on it in 2001. While, according to your statements at least, they had an already finished product by then, then microsoft may be implementing their own vision of this product. However, why should microsoft be excluded from making a product. What do you mean by original, something noone has ever thought of? I didn't see anything about device recognition in your link, while moving data from digital cameras or laptops. That seems different, or is their a device that already does that? Either way- if it ends up to be a better product it will be worth microsofts investment. Otherwise, its their money spent anyways, you don't have to buy it- buy the diamond touch if its better.
is that you're hunched over them. If used for extended periods of time, the result is terrible back problems.
"Every time some[thing] innovative comes out or a new idea the open source community makes their own version."
Microsoft is not an innovator, and never has been (the history speaks for itself). Microsoft gets credit as an innovator because of its incredible power, gained through dirty business tactics. The same could also be said for many (most?) corporations.
This touchscreen technology has been in development for a long time, before Microsoft even looked at it and long before the vaporware announcement of the Surface. The ideas behind the technology (i.e. what Microsoft's patents are made of) are no doubt even older. Should only Microsoft be allowed to develop software for multi-touch displays?
Also, Microsoft's Surface is likely nothing more than a glorified demo and can't run real applications. This MPX system is running real applications already, but needs a lot of work (like so much other software).
For free software to avoid patent litigation, software patents need to be abolished. Thankfully, we have licenses like GPLv3 that provide some forms of protection in the meantime.
Geeks like to think that they can ignore politics, you can leave politics alone, but politics won't leave you alone.-rms
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But does it have Gigabit Ethernet, which Microsoft® Surface® does not have (Why Why is M$ saving $10 from a $5000-10000 computer?)?..
Everyone keeps forgetting that TouchTable, Inc. already sells a 'multi-touch' table with a real application (that is actually being used!).