If there's one problem with modern operating systems it's that they're all rather planar. Sure,
OS X,
Vista, and others have some 3D tricks up their sleeves, stacking windows and layering them on cubes and such, but when you get down to business everything's rather more
Flatland than
Lawnmower Man. Apple, at least, has a plan for changing that in its patent application titled "Multidimensional Desktop," unearthed by
MacRumors, describing a way in which depth could be added to your typical virtual desktop. The patent covers dozens of scenarios, including geometric icons representing applications or documents being attached to the side surfaces, possibly replacing the rather tired "File, Edit, etc." menus at the top with positional hotspots on the right. Another example describes how light emanating from one 3D icon, a little sun representing the weather, could illuminate the other icons. It all sounds rather conceptual, but with the amount of detail included here (not to mention the familiar dock at the bottom) it's hard to label this is as just a flight of Cupertino creativity not intended for release.
[Via
MacRumors]
posted December 11th 2008 8:23AM
Or, rather, taking time machine a step further by integrating the 3D concept into the regular OS operations.
How's it work? My mouse is only 2D
or: http://wiki.compiz-fusion.org/
Not the same thing.
Looks like the "Navi" from the anime Lain. Somebody should file for prior art. :P
useless patent that will never hold up.
however, if 3d desktops in 3d space take flight, we will need new forms of input besides a mouse to navigate. The real innovation will be in the input, not in the interface.
i'm guessing this is where the leopard dock originated from?
I guess these 3D environments can be beneficial to some people, but personally I find them to be quasi annoying novelty items. I really like a clean, simple desktop with lots of features and power under the OS hood. I don't need that power visually displayed, hogging up my resources and cluttering everything up.
I was wondering when they'd get around to something like this, I pitched a similar idea to a friend almost 10 years back when OS 8 was out after seeing the spring loaded folders, and playing more than a few hours of Quake. I've long been guilty of having a cluttered desktop, and prefer to have things out where I can see them. Of course searching functions have improved a lot since.
It seemed to me then that by having the ability to move past the information visually represented on the plane of the desktop, you'd be able to navigate your folders in a more natural way with an expanded desktop. Looking at Time Machine, and how intuitive it is to navigate, it seems like a logical progression. I've yet to really make much use of Spaces because of the out of sight, out of mind factor of files placed on the other spaces.
Is it just me...or does this sound ALOT like Microsoft BOB?
THANK YOU! I was hoping someone would bring this up. (Actually, I was hoping to be the first, but screw it.) Whenever I see an interface that tries to mirror a 3D environment in 2D, I think of two options: Quake or MS Bob. Bob seems pretty useless to me, but if the multitouch gestures turn my desktop into a first-person shooter, THAT might be cool.
OSX v.10.9... Lion hunter!
Exactly!
And... good example.
Forget my previous comment, bad shortcut...
Anyway,
3D-Space VFS : http://marcmoini.com/f3_en.html
3DOSX : http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/macwarriors/projects/oldprojects/3dosx/screenshots.html
An oldie, 3D Finder : http://www.doctorgavin.com/Apple/finder.html
...
...
3D Operating System : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZcJOZC38iQ
and the worst,
tactile3d : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM9DHN9KYpY
Etc, etc.
...
3D Operating System : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZcJOZC38iQ
And the worst IMO,
tactile3d : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM9DHN9KYpY
Etc, etc.
It's a shame that things like this can actually be patented... :-(
Not that it's particularly useful...
What about applying for a patent for "Simulating real world things as 3d objects on screen to manipulate them?"
Why does it use the menu bar from Tiger?
Must be an old patent or an old concept only patented now.
If apple can't get past 1 mouse button, how will they get past 2 dimensions?
apple needs to start getting back to basics and fixing their core services before they start tricking out their OS even more.
Leopard has been crashing on me frequently, I have mobileme engineers trying to the issues my account with no success, and their RAID drivers have been broken since Leopard's release, and all they can think about is is OS 10.7 Shoebox, the future if diorama computing, oh and what the latest nano colors will be.
Does anyone realize they are phasing out their current cinema displays (the last apple monitor good for any sort of print color accuracy and luminance) and replacing them all with the type of monitor that comes standard in the latest laptops, iMac's and the new 24" display. If anyone has used this who works in print (a component of apple's previous customer base) you'll know that these monitors are sure bright, but completely inaccurate.
in other words
:(
Apple is the most innovative company in the world, no argument here ~
You need to go to Japan or something, it's located in the east of the REAL WORLD
This is super fancy and all but before they steam ahead with this I hope they catch themselves on and bring back the option to cut and paste in finder - its the little things that count.
You actually reach into the screen of your Macbook, and Steve Jobs hand finds yours, and he pulls you through, and you're there and so is Steve, both inside the Mac and standing on the dock, looking at each other.
Taaaaaaaake oooooooon meeeeeee ...
(Take on me)
Taaaaaaaake meeeeeee onnnnnnnn ...
(Take on me)
Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'll beeeeeeee goooooone ...
(etc.)
Maybe you use a VR headset like in Disclosure. Would prefer virtual Demi to Steve.
So many possibilities here it's hard to react but if you like a clean desktop it doesn't matter if it's bumptop, 2D, 3D or smell-o-vision. It's just more gimmicks, eye candy to distract from the fact that the GUI stalled a decade or two ago.
OS support for stereoscopic software- now that'd be significant [especially on autostereoscopic displays]. Imagine running 3D creation apps like Cinema4D or Max in real 3D, not 2.5D!
Why not just bring the computer into the real world? Already has 3d built in.
To be more specific, how about glasses/contacts/goggles that have a translucent overlay? Then, the webcam on the bridge of the nose can help you attach tags to things in the real world; your pal Steve would show up with his info and latest status hovering to the side. With bluetooth in the phone-like device that is powering this, you could get any info you didn't have that he wants you to, or that he has set to auto-send to friends.
Much more practical than a desktop cube.
The diagram looks like a whole lot of rectangles, a few hexagons and a couple of triangles have got together to watch a movie. Sadly someone didn't know how to set up the speaker system.
Looks like you'd need a pretty big monitor to be able to use this without loosing space for the actual programs.
Im sure you could make existing products work in 3d.
http://gi.leica-geosystems.com/LGISub1x10x0.aspx is a product called TopoMouse for the geospatial industry. Does x, y, z.
It's usually used with a stereo display which is avail... http://reald-corporate.com/scientific/ probably has some.
Even the Kensington trackball could be made to do the same as the TopoMouse with the scroll ring thing.
http://us.kensington.com/html/2200.html
Steve, 3D Desktops are a trap!
-Bill
Hooray for the obscure Flatland reference! The great sphere knows all.
there was something like this at the TED conference last year. i looked really neat when put into a touchscreen format. go to the TED website and check it out, this was the same confrence that apple got its "zoom in fingers" for the iphone a couple years back
Whats the point?
your monitor can only produce 2D imagery. A 3D desktop environment will produce visual clutter but make good use of your spatial memory, but your desktop changes all the time with new windows and other items on top so remebering where things are on your desktop would also be pointless.