User interface designer R. Clayton Miller thinks the mouse and the windows-based desktop metaphor should die. It’s just too confusing. However, he also argues that multitouch displays are not the answer. Looking at his solution, he may be right.
This video examines the benefits and limitations inherent in current mouse-based and window-oriented interfaces, the problems facing other potential solutions, and visualizes my proposal for a completely new way of interacting with desktop computers.
I recommend you watch the whole thing, because he makes some very good usability points, discussing the pros and cons of different UI approaches—before getting into his proposal—which looks beautiful and, more importantly, useful.
I like a lot of the things I see here. I like the way the applications are organised and accessed, combined a modal approach with a stream. I love how he solved the general menu vs. application menu dilemma. What I don’t like is the idea of having a control surface below the keyboard. I guess we are all used to it, through laptops and trackpads. And he is right that it may be a great way to transition to touch interfaces for most users — because of that familiarity. However, I would like to see this implemented in a different form factor both on the go—in both the tablet and the desktop—in whatever new format the hardware manufacturers can come up with. [10/GUI via Unplggd]
Chris
Friday, October 16, 2009 at 12:32 PMwhere do i pay
Sean
Friday, October 16, 2009 at 7:48 PMAs far as windows management goes, Windows 7 has it perfect as far as I’m concerned.
Anon
Friday, October 16, 2009 at 7:51 PMBetter solution than linear window layout: use each dimension (X and Y) for different grouping systems.
An application spaces its open files or tabs the way this one does; place them along the x axis chronologically from left to right. However, having 20 or so applications open, each with a few files and menus, you get a VERY long list.
So, instead, but each APPLICATION down the Y axis. The interface would work just as well as it does now, but you don’t end up with a line or programs with a 1:100 height/width ratio.
Problem with this approach is its harder to have 2 files from different programs on screen at a time.
ed
Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 9:41 AMnot sure why you’d need a separate hard keyboard instead of using the touch area with a special gesture/button to swap between soft keyboard and multitouch cursor; plus it could have some sort of tactile feedback to confirm an action (ala the click soundwhen pressing a button/link).
The separation of menus either side seems ok but I’m against losing the taskbar/dock at the bottom/top/side of screen to display running/available apps because it is more efficient and whilst 24 inch monitors are now around $400, when we get 30 inches running at 4K resolution for a similar price a lot of the display space issues go away. True, I am thinking desktop centric, but I don’t think this model is aimed at mobile users either.
Jared Mackean
Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 12:25 AMi was waching this at work with no sound, it seemed to me that this can be done with a standardybord and mouse.yes you are still limeted to one curser but if you hold down key combos you could acheve 80% of what i just saw with curent imputs used more eficiantly. i like the idea as a whole but i think if we had that ui and made it work with todays imputs it would be a good start to transitioning. i think also the keybord would be beter on the toch serface as two have one over top requires more deskspace than i would like to use.
Drew Mewburn
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 3:00 PMI’m not a fan of his interface… It feels like a good idea in theory that just doesn’t translate to natural use.
I didn’t like the Tabbed window system, where you could literally totally push out a running programme from view. A taskbar of some description makes a lot sense for a reason.
I also didn’t like the ever present “Global Options” slide out menu that takes over half the screen. Global system options aren’t something you need 90% of the time, and therefore, can happily be hidden a couple of layers into the machine. It doesn’t need to be an ever present pop out menu.
What I do like, and have wanted for a while, is a big touchpad, instead of a keyboard and a mouse. A second screen, or a “Tool Board” which displays the current options for the running programme would be awesome. Like a Digital zBoard.
And while current operating systems could certainly handle window management better, I don’t think reinventing the wheel is necessarily the way to go.