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Canonical Designer Demos Ubuntu Context-Aware UI

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the i-sense-something-interesting dept.

Blacklaw writes "Canonical's Christian Giordano has posted details of what he believes could be the future of user interface design in Ubuntu — a system that detects physical context. Designed to be paired with a webcam or other sensor system, the concept is that the computer is able to detect where a user is in proximity to the display along with an idea of roughly what he or she might be doing. Using this information, the operating system — in this case, Ubuntu Linux — can automatically make changes to the screen layout. For example, when the system detects that the user has leaned back in his or her chair, the system automatically makes the currently playing video full-screen. Lean forward again, and the video returns to its previous windowed mode."

12 of 237 comments (clear)

  1. Why not link the source? by mikael_j · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why does the summary not link the actual blog post at canonical.com instead of some ad-encumbered summary?

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    Greylisting is to SMTP as NAT is to IPv4
  2. Hmm by El+Lobo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Another guess and pray system. Please don't. or at least make it optional (not that I use ubuntu, but)... Guess and pray system are often more of an irritation that usable.

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    1. Re:Hmm by MBGMorden · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Exactly what I was thinking. This seems like it would be just as bad as clippy. Computers aren't good at just "figuring out what you meant". That's why language syntax has always been so strict. They're good at doing EXACTLY what you say when you're specific and say it right. If I want my video full screen I'll Alt+Enter before I lean back in the chair . . .

      --
      "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
    2. Re:Hmm by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 1, Insightful

      And based on Ubuntu's history of poor packaging when you try to remove this it will most likely try to claim that you need to remove your entire DE as well.

    3. Re:Hmm by quickOnTheUptake · · Score: 3, Insightful

      My thoughts exactly: Great, another resource-hogging annoyance." What if I lean forward because I'm trying to see something small in the corner?
      Rule no. 1 of UI design: When in doubt make the interface stupid but predictable. Smart systems that guess wrong even 2% of the time are just frustrations.

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    4. Re:Hmm by xlotlu · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I wanted something like this for quite a while, except my primary use cases are for preventing inactivity-related actions: 1) don't lock the screen if I'm still at the computer, regardless of the inactivity timeout; and 2) don't dim the screen if I'm looking at it. I'm probably reading and I like the brightness level just the way it is.

    5. Re:Hmm by supersloshy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The way we do things has evolved to a stable point. At this point I want improvements to that, not a new method entirely.

      No doubt you've seen this in many-a-Slashdot signature, but it must be said again... “If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said a faster horse” -Henry Ford

      The problem isn't that innovation is bad, but rather that innovation is becoming a buzzword. That's not to say that current ideas can't be improved on and/or succeeded, but it does show that not every "innovation" is better.

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  3. So now the computer starts looking at me? by wvmarle · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So now the computer starts looking at me, instead of just me looking at the computer?

    Interesting. But sounds a bit scary too.

    1. Re:So now the computer starts looking at me? by captainpanic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As long as the options aren't hidden in obscure menus, or disabled because the users are considered idiots, then I think I like it.

      In short: I like it if I can tweak it (and if I can disable it if necessary).

      -- The options menu of my webcam extends to my drawer where I keep my duct tape to block the lens. Be warned, evil empire, I am armed with duct tape!

  4. Consitancy by anss123 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A good UI need to be consistent and predictable. When software tries to second guess what I want, glares at MS Word, it tends to piss me off instead.

    And no, I don't want a video to full screen when I lean back or audio to mute when I switch app or whatever they think of next.

    1. Re:Consitancy by RNLockwood · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, I can see it now. My eyes require larger print, pictures, etc. on the display I have. I can't quite make something out and lean forward: it gets smaller. To get it bigger I must lean back. And so on and so on. I think the Greeks had a story about something like this.

      --
      Nate
  5. Re:what happens... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    You're doing it wrong.