[olug] FW: The next generation computer interface

[Mario Steele]

On 10/18/06, Will Langford <unfies at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Couple weeks late.
>
> Expensive screen.
>
> Doing funky things with a touch screen is nothing new (i've done a
> "scratch
> and sniff" porn demonstration with one), having a nice touch screen device
> that can handle multiple contacts is where the fun starts.
>
> So... basically ... expensive screen + some interesting UI toys is what I
> see.
>
> Make it workable for every day applications (or a window manager to mix
> with
> it) and I'll show alot more interest :).  Although, typing on a verticle
> screen (or reading from a horizontalish one) would kinda suck.  Maybe mix
> it
> with dragon naturally speaking .... which, according to arstechnica.comhas
> come a long way and is quite usable.  Also, having to move your arms
> around
> alot to get the movements necessary would be.... a tad annoying.
>
> Also, one last note -- touch stuff generally requires a HUGE amount of
> screen realestate due to it's fairly inaccurate nature (sausage fingers!).
> For this kinda stuff to become really useful, we'll need big multi-contact
> screens that are fairly cheap.
>
> -Will



A couple of things about that, if you watched the actual Video, you'll see
that the Acuracy of the touch table that Jeff Han isn't really using the
sausage finger method when he's messing with several of the apps.  Though I
did notice that a couple of times he was getting the wrong functions when he
was hitting the buttons on one of the apps.  Though, technically, I think
that was just because of Jeff not really having that much experince with the
Open Source 3D World Map Program for NASA Data.

Plus, he said I belive atleast a minute or two of the Video, that this was a
Low Cost viability.  So I think he is looking at the "Larger Picture" of not
just the Software involved, but the Actual Hardware Devices that will be
required to create the multi-touch screen effect.  And if I'm right, Jeff's
primary purpose on this project, is the development of the Hardware, and
aspects of such.


Tis all for now,
Mario Steele