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Re: ::scr IA Goldrush (was Ramblings of a Classic Refugee)
Simon Batistoni wrote:
I *can* see it happening. There have been a lot of rumblings
for a while now
on various of the tech and online news/opinion sites about new
interfaces,
and removing the dying desktop metaphor. This list is
positively bursting
with it, and in the programmer circles in which I move, the
idea of creating
new and interesting interfaces to our machines has been a
slow-burning but
deeply infectious meme.
Sorry to once again come on all Cassandra-like, but these
rumblings are still just rumblings. Which OS is actually making
any kind of break from tradition? Sure l33t programmers and
hobbyists might tinker with new paradigms but the average user
is just going to stick with what they've been given. I think the
IA Goldrush (if (a) there is to be one and (b) it's not just
agencies dressing up the latest design fads with
impressive-sounding computery jargon) will not be about the
desktop but rather about servicey-type apps. I don't like it but
Watson seems to point the way things might go.
http://www.karelia.com/watson
Added to which there's the so-imminent-maybe-
it's-already-happened launch of FlashMX, remarketroided as an
application development suite (and allegedly they've 'fixed' the
back button 'problem').
I'd wager that the traditional browser will be dead before the desktop.
As for new interfaces for new devices, I think Palm have done an
incredible job (ta Celia for that link to the Zen of Palmistry)
and that people will be hard pressed to revolutionise it rather
than just steadily improve it (as to why, well just read the Zen
piece[0]). Here I think the issue is, if we get things like this
(http://www.sony.co.jp/sd/products/Consumer/PEG/PEG-
NR70V/style.html) over here anytime soon, how many people are
going to even need let alone want desktop machines?
Anyhow from (g)rumblings back to the original ramblings...
<of no interest whatsoever to non-Maccers>
Despite spending more and more time at the command line in
MacOSX, I've recently been fiddling with MaxMenus
<http://www.maxmenus.com>. Springloadedness and Fitts Law to
the, er, max. Puts the 4 corners of your desktop to good use
plus you can hotkey any menu to appear right where your mouse
is. It's (dare I say it) FinderPop for OSX. Except that it's
$29.95.
</>
[0] For lazy people who still haven't read it and are too lazy
to find Celia's original post
http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/docs/zenofpalm/ZenTOC.html