No, I dont suppose many people will NEED it, but then you could argue that you only need a command line.
I actually had planned to make applications shareable between computers since what I am doing is very similar to VNC or remote desktop. The major difference being that I am using windows as opposed to desktops, which makes it a bit more flexible. I think both VNC and remote desktop are very limited with the use of display area and number of users, tho I could be wrong.
So by saying 3D suddenly everything is unfathomable? The current windows ( and linux/mac ) desktop is already quazzi 3d, meaning is has a concept of depth. Take the concept a bit further and see what happens, its called evolution.
Not that you dont have a point, but you like most people jump to this conclusion that a 3D desktop immediately means you have to start manipulating a 3D environment in bizarre ways. While this is mostly true is by no means the way it has to be done.
I dont know about you but when I first saw a windowed operating system it immediately made sense to me. I think a good 3D desktop will be the same way, it just has to be designed properly.
I actually dont intend to make a "3D" desktop, only one that uses 3D acceleration for some very smooth animation whilst doing what I like to think of as "functional prettiness", which I think expose does really well.
If there is a shortfall to 2D desktops it is that its a parallel graphics paradigm that isnt quite inline with where graphics hardware is going. The benifit of a 3D gui isnt that its 3D per se, but that it can use 3D accelerations. 2D acceleration went the way of the dodo years ago, so from a preformance point of view using 3D APIs is very desireable.
I am not trying to make a new design or add a lot of eye candy. I would like to think I making something that will actually be useful but takes advantage of 3D hardware acceleration while leveraging exiting applications. The one thing I realized early on is that if I made an enirely new API that any applications would have to be rewritten to use the new API.
Personally I like eye candy in my interface, so long as it doesnt take away from what I am doing. The windows 2D api, I find, is very limited when it comes to adding pretty effects. While it can be done its usually quite a lot of work, and then it never usually works right for everyone. In this area I think Mac has definitely outdone Microsoft.
I have listed a number of ideas on my website but initially I would like to make something along the lines of expose with some virtual desktops and "pretty" transitions for windows opening and closing effects as well as moving betweeen the desktops. There are a few expose clones for windows but they all seem a little jolting to me, partly because they is a jolting transtion to a DirectX window, but also because it just doesnt seem to flow the way expose does.
I think its desireable just because 3D acceleration technology has left 2D acceleration in the dust. Just from a performance point of view the same UI done natively in 3D ( psuedo 2D ) will be an order of magnitude faster and more responsive. As long as it doesnt go completely over board and make everything nausiating there are advantages.
The new Avalon API coming from microsoft is going to be just that, a 2D UI done in 3D hardware. There are some 3D aspects to it but by and large its win32 GUI mutated and on steroids. Once it has the proper 3D support in the kernel its going to be very cool and very fast.
I am working on a 3D UI project, theres still a lot of work to do but I think it has potential. I'd love to get some feedback, positive and negative. I currently have a techdemo but I plan to have a virutal desktop expose like system sometime early next year.
I will probably buy this book just to see if if actually has any good ideas I can incorporate.
logiccubed.com
Jason
You are probably safe as long as the money you make from your software is less than the legal costs to go after you. If you start making a lot of money and get a lot of attention then someone is likely to come after you, for a variety of reasons including patent infringement. Tho this is true for anyone that comes into a lot of money.
Slashdot Mirror
This was mentioned at Winhec, MSN search was not ported to 64 bit but was developed on 64 from the begining
I love how slashdotters jump to wild conclusions to try to some stuff up in neat litte sentances. My motive is to make a 3D interface.
No I only used it as an example. stop insinuating damn it :P. I was trying to use examples people can relate to.
No, I dont suppose many people will NEED it, but then you could argue that you only need a command line. I actually had planned to make applications shareable between computers since what I am doing is very similar to VNC or remote desktop. The major difference being that I am using windows as opposed to desktops, which makes it a bit more flexible. I think both VNC and remote desktop are very limited with the use of display area and number of users, tho I could be wrong.
So by saying 3D suddenly everything is unfathomable? The current windows ( and linux/mac ) desktop is already quazzi 3d, meaning is has a concept of depth. Take the concept a bit further and see what happens, its called evolution.
He asked what the short comings of the current 2D desktop were. I didnt set out to adress tha specifically.
very well said, I myself think there is a good way to do a 3D gui, I just havent found it ;)
Not that you dont have a point, but you like most people jump to this conclusion that a 3D desktop immediately means you have to start manipulating a 3D environment in bizarre ways. While this is mostly true is by no means the way it has to be done.
I dont know about you but when I first saw a windowed operating system it immediately made sense to me. I think a good 3D desktop will be the same way, it just has to be designed properly.
I actually dont intend to make a "3D" desktop, only one that uses 3D acceleration for some very smooth animation whilst doing what I like to think of as "functional prettiness", which I think expose does really well.
If there is a shortfall to 2D desktops it is that its a parallel graphics paradigm that isnt quite inline with where graphics hardware is going. The benifit of a 3D gui isnt that its 3D per se, but that it can use 3D accelerations. 2D acceleration went the way of the dodo years ago, so from a preformance point of view using 3D APIs is very desireable.
I am not trying to make a new design or add a lot of eye candy. I would like to think I making something that will actually be useful but takes advantage of 3D hardware acceleration while leveraging exiting applications. The one thing I realized early on is that if I made an enirely new API that any applications would have to be rewritten to use the new API.
Personally I like eye candy in my interface, so long as it doesnt take away from what I am doing. The windows 2D api, I find, is very limited when it comes to adding pretty effects. While it can be done its usually quite a lot of work, and then it never usually works right for everyone. In this area I think Mac has definitely outdone Microsoft.
I have listed a number of ideas on my website but initially I would like to make something along the lines of expose with some virtual desktops and "pretty" transitions for windows opening and closing effects as well as moving betweeen the desktops. There are a few expose clones for windows but they all seem a little jolting to me, partly because they is a jolting transtion to a DirectX window, but also because it just doesnt seem to flow the way expose does.
Did I answer your question?
I think its desireable just because 3D acceleration technology has left 2D acceleration in the dust. Just from a performance point of view the same UI done natively in 3D ( psuedo 2D ) will be an order of magnitude faster and more responsive. As long as it doesnt go completely over board and make everything nausiating there are advantages. The new Avalon API coming from microsoft is going to be just that, a 2D UI done in 3D hardware. There are some 3D aspects to it but by and large its win32 GUI mutated and on steroids. Once it has the proper 3D support in the kernel its going to be very cool and very fast.
I am working on a 3D UI project, theres still a lot of work to do but I think it has potential. I'd love to get some feedback, positive and negative. I currently have a techdemo but I plan to have a virutal desktop expose like system sometime early next year.
I will probably buy this book just to see if if actually has any good ideas I can incorporate.
logiccubed.com
Jason
You are probably safe as long as the money you make from your software is less than the legal costs to go after you. If you start making a lot of money and get a lot of attention then someone is likely to come after you, for a variety of reasons including patent infringement. Tho this is true for anyone that comes into a lot of money.
The reason 2d is being pushed into 3d is to avoid having to rewrite the last 20 years of software to run in a new dimension