While we're sitting around
complaining about the lack of innovative user interfaces and experiences in modern consumer electronics, a man named Barton Smith is actually doing something about it. In 2008 the industrial designer hatched a concept for an OS called Locus which completely upends many of the use paradigms we're familiar with in current desktop or mobile operating environments. Besides looking absolutely beautiful, a major chunk of the Locus concept focuses around the idea of having separate, easily accessible workspaces for different settings, such as on a train, at home, while out with friends, etc. Each of those scenarios is stored in a set of "panels" which can change based on geolocation or by user choice, and has its own combination of desktop arrangement and application shortcuts. Locus also incorporates a Zune-like content browsing interface, and a project management UI based around real world interactions (something like
BumpTop, but cleaner). The whole concept is slickly put together and well thought out... but it doesn't just end with the software. Smith envisions this platform running on another concept of his: a portable computer called Stream. Stream would be a small, modular tablet / mobile device which can be docked in a variety of components, thus changing its functionality (along with Locus). It's fascinating stuff, for sure, and doubly intriguing considering Barton began developing these concepts so long ago (though the video below is brand new). Now where is the super-rich partner this guy needs to make this thing a reality?
Update: As noted in comments, Microsoft branding is shown at the start of this video, but this is
not a Microsoft product -- it seems Barton added the name and logo for effect.
Update 2: Barton Smith got in touch to fill us in on the Microsoft logo at the beginning of the video. In his words: "The reason for the Microsoft branding is because it was originally going to be for the Microsoft next Gen computer comp from 2008." Well, there you go!
posted February 8th 2010 12:21PM
its nice... multiple desktops is a reallly good feature! btw its fun to see all the MS related comments go down the drain as its not MSs! xD
Anyone who comes up with the revolutionary next-age UI for an OS will be god and filthy rich.
Yum.
Locus + iPad = Win
This seems a combination of KDE4's Plasma interface (with regards to Activities and how they're triggered and presented), the GNOME 3.0 interface (with regards to the panel and plus button), and Moblin's interface (with regards to large, simple icons and how the creations browsing page looks). It seems a little rude to mark it with "Microsoft", when clearly these things are already here or on their way in the open-source world.
"Update: As noted in comments, Microsoft branding is shown at the start of this video, but this is not a Microsoft product -- it seems Barton added the name and logo for effect."
How does this guy get away with that. Trademark infringement much? Made me think for a second that this actually had a chance at hitting the masses.
@engadget This maybe be some important information: The voice over is an Australian, I know because I'm one and the other thing that gives it away is the OPTUS up the top right-hand corner when lotus starts, OPTUS is a mobile/internet/phone carried in Australia, so there is no doubt in my mind that this is a 3G enabled device. it looks almost like an iPhone app, but it couldn't be! Perhaps something to do with the next WiMo or Windows Phone?
Anyway hope this helps!
This looks good, but is not something what we need right now. There is a reason why current folder organization is used now. A lot of people and businesses don't have few Office documents but rather thousands and thousands of them. What the world needs is to figure out a way to better organize them then folders, because even those tend to get messy and confusing after a while.
Using organizational method that looks like a real desk is just absurd when working with large amount of Office documents. What the world needs is iPhoto type software that can organize office type documents by extensions and, lets call them "events".
Its a simple concept that is always over looked. Keeping the file system the same and just adding a new way to interact and organize office type files is something that industry is desperately in need right now!
Organization for documents has not changed sense the dawn of x windows systems (as mentioned in the last engaged podcast). We don't necessarily need to rebuild the whole structure or even edit it one bit, all we need is GUI Application that makes all this click together in a single place.
@GeneKam Good points :)
@GeneKam *cough* Nepomuk *cough cough*
Window's mobile 8 anyone?
So what about the actually operating system, how it handled files, multiple users, security. The goal of future OSes should focus on one thing allowing people to effectively use a computer without knowing exactly how it works.
If anyone on the Cell Processor team had a brain, they would have conceived of the processor the way I'm imagining the Stream component to function... each discrete device can run a stripped down OS, the OS has limited functionality and uses very little power, but can be expanded by docking with other processing units at which point, more functions are enabled in the OS. Or at least, sped up. The OS needs to treat each processor as part of a larger processor, so that the calculations can be optimized for various parts of the agglomeration.
Anyway, in my dreams. Love the interface and cocept, and yes, it reminded me of other OS's, namely Moblin type of optimized OS's. I read someone say KDE and GNOME also, which I can agree with.
I'd use it if it was sold.
Okay this only about Design right ?
Every OS/Interface follows the same principle. Make things accesible via menu etc.. So this is nothing new. It just rearanges Apps to a Special location there is nothing real new. When I go to work ifire up software X. When at home it is software Y. I dont need a "new" Interface that lets me choose which combination of software I have runnig. This takes me less then 2 seconds on every major Platform so why?
Okay the Explorer at the end of the vid is somekind of intresting but ... I hope its getting clear what i want to say
Looks like windows mobile 7
This+courier = win
I hope someone at Microsoft is paying attention...
Wat matters more is whether this Locus OS have an instant on/off interface. So sick of waiting for boot-up and shut-down of WinOSs!
GUI != OS
..even clever gui
Get real.
It's iPhone OS with a white background.
Which is stupid because the white background drains the battery more than black.
Nice try Microsoft. I see your trying to port useless Surface apps to the phone.
Please let this be the new Windows Phone 7 interface!!
Looks like an amazing OS...just need the right hardware for this baby and it could be a HIT!
Cant wait to see this progress in the future...
Microsoft branding for effect eh? This is the kind of thing Microsoft used to be very good at, although with the pressure to build enterprise friendly software, none were ever implemented.
Sigh~ I'll just keep waiting I guess...
The next evolution of GNOME?
Actually, this is closer to the Sense UI given that the shortcuts actually change with each panel. Not just the desktop background and the app windows associated with them. I'm not sure how much the GPS functionality makes sense as much as maybe the context could be more intuitive based on what wifi networks you regularly connect to. I tend to notice my usage patterns are centered around the WiFI network because of the activities I do at each of those WiFi networks is different, whether it be connect to a VPN or connect to different file shares/servers.