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Mozilla Labs' "Ubiquity" Helps Automate Web Interactions
Martin writes "Mozilla Labs have released a prototype version of the Firefox add-on Ubiquity. It is basically Launchy (the application launcher) for Firefox with the difference that Ubiquity makes use of web APIs and the Firefox browser. The official website contains examples, a command list, information about creating your own commands and of course the Ubiquity extension that is compatible with Firefox 3.x. Ubiquity can pull and send data to various services like Twitter, display, find and embed Google Maps, perform searches, write emails, add entries to the calendar, digg stories and more."
This is a classic case of "because we can build it"-based design instead of "what problems can we solve for users"-based design.
Definitely disagree with you. I only installed it today and its immediately become part of my workflow. Its best to think of it as a way of pulling information into a page that wasn't there to start with as opposed to a 'web interaction automator' or the 'net command line' some sites have labeled it as. For example it provides translation directly onto a page without having to run it through a new translator - so it all feels like functionality that should have been there to start with - rather than some nifty toy. They've actually thought it through based on existing products. For example quicksilver/gnome-do style things have really taken off with a + combo - so a + combo feels very natural. And because it allows you to use language like 'this' it makes sense.