You're right, for things where a 2d-interface has already been invented, the ones that exist are leagues better than "3d" interfaces that try to emulate them.
I believe the object of the book, and thus this review, is to go over interfaces used in 3d programming. Let's say you're programming a doom-clone that utilizes some type of goggle interactivity technology to immerse the user. They're going to damn well have to know how to navigate using just the pointer they're holding in their hand, neither of which they can see.
They can't use the "window" and "menu" paradigms as easily, because they're in a 3d realm, and need to know how to choose an object (by pointing, clicking, etc), how to move things - whatever the program is used for.
The best example I can think of to show how the 3d-interface would break down is a program written for a virtual environments class I was in. My talented classmate decided he was going to make a virtual DJ mixing booth, with objects to represent samples, and a chooser to activate or loop them. The demonstration relied entirely on 3d-navigation techniques, and was duly immpressive.
As we collect more and different kinds of data, sometimes it makes it insanely simpler to visualize in more than two dimensions, so having any 3d-interactivity aspects of a program figured out is a huge help to the programmer.
The DISH Network, which I recently had _horrendous_ customer service issues with, actually has a fantastic PVR.
I previously used my old 1st-edition ReplayTV with the regular cable and noticed the slow-down when recording something and watching something else, but this one is flawless, and has especially speedy time-movement abilities. It has some quirks, like hitting 'rewind' reduces your fast forward speed down a level, and vice versa, as opposed to jumping instantly to going backwards.
I called DISH and they told me I could get a two-box system, one of them a PVR, for $50 a month and 3 months free. I don't know if this was a holiday deal, as it was December, but I have the PVR, another box, and lots of HBO's and other movie channels, all available for time-shifting, for less than $50 (I added in local channels, and the second box - they're both extra). Fantastic.
Slashdot Mirror
Your site is about to get slashdotted as it appears on www.slashdot.com :-).
Posted by Slashdot at March 23, 2005 01:14 AM
You're right, for things where a 2d-interface has already been invented, the ones that exist are leagues better than "3d" interfaces that try to emulate them.
I believe the object of the book, and thus this review, is to go over interfaces used in 3d programming. Let's say you're programming a doom-clone that utilizes some type of goggle interactivity technology to immerse the user. They're going to damn well have to know how to navigate using just the pointer they're holding in their hand, neither of which they can see.
They can't use the "window" and "menu" paradigms as easily, because they're in a 3d realm, and need to know how to choose an object (by pointing, clicking, etc), how to move things - whatever the program is used for.
The best example I can think of to show how the 3d-interface would break down is a program written for a virtual environments class I was in. My talented classmate decided he was going to make a virtual DJ mixing booth, with objects to represent samples, and a chooser to activate or loop them. The demonstration relied entirely on 3d-navigation techniques, and was duly immpressive.
As we collect more and different kinds of data, sometimes it makes it insanely simpler to visualize in more than two dimensions, so having any 3d-interactivity aspects of a program figured out is a huge help to the programmer.
The DISH Network, which I recently had _horrendous_ customer service issues with, actually has a fantastic PVR.
I previously used my old 1st-edition ReplayTV with the regular cable and noticed the slow-down when recording something and watching something else, but this one is flawless, and has especially speedy time-movement abilities. It has some quirks, like hitting 'rewind' reduces your fast forward speed down a level, and vice versa, as opposed to jumping instantly to going backwards.
I called DISH and they told me I could get a two-box system, one of them a PVR, for $50 a month and 3 months free. I don't know if this was a holiday deal, as it was December, but I have the PVR, another box, and lots of HBO's and other movie channels, all available for time-shifting, for less than $50 (I added in local channels, and the second box - they're both extra). Fantastic.