Dozens of Apple patent applications were published lately revealing research that Apple had completed in 2007 on many topics encompassing future versions of Mac OS X. The most intriguing is a series of patent applications which describe a "Multidimensional" user interface. Apple has essentially been working on true 3D desktop environments.
It's not clear when and if Apple will decide to implement these new 3D desktop design ideas into a future version of Mac OS X. The 3D desktop idea suggests that Apple would take their existing Mac OS components like the dock, dashboard, add more depth and give a three dimensional look.
Apple's next major version of Mac OS X (10.6) is due in the first quarter of 2009 and will primarily focus on "under the hood" changes to boost performance.
Image Courtesy : MacRumours.com
I hear ya..however Apple being Apple, it will probably be damn sexy and quite usable
OR... they will just do it anyways and the LTDs of the world will just swallow it off of the spoon, no questions asked.
It's not like the dock is particularly usable:
http://www.asktog.com/columns/044top10docksucks.html
All the rage.
The technology has improved a lot since then. This could be good.
I am more concerned about apple being successfully granted a patent for something that many people must have at least visualized before.
http://www.asktog.com/columns/044top10docksucks.html
Pretty much all of them have been addressed through Quick Look and stacks. Folders aren't folders, they show thumbnails of what's in them, and files aren't just icons, they are also thumbnails.
Plus, dragging something off the dock doesn't delete it. Just takes it off the dock. Everything in the dock is a shortcut, unless you actually go into a stack. Drag something from a stack to the desktop, it actually goes to the desktop.
So that article is a bit too old to be relevant. Leopard reinvented the dock.
http://www.asktog.com/columns/044top10docksucks.html
Nothing like an 8.5 year old article to back up your argument. There have been 6 releases since that article was written, most all of his points are invalid with Leopard.
http://www.asktog.com/columns/044top10docksucks.html
Pretty much all of them have been addressed through Quick Look and stacks. Folders aren't folders, they show thumbnails of what's in them, and files aren't just icons, they are also thumbnails.
Plus, dragging something off the dock doesn't delete it. Just takes it off the dock. Everything in the dock is a shortcut, unless you actually go into a stack. Drag something from a stack to the desktop, it actually goes to the desktop.
So that article is a bit too old to be relevant. Leopard reinvented the dock.
I was thinking the same thing. "The trash should be in the corner," how lame is that one? Personally I HATE the Windows taskbar (Windows 7's looks a lot better though). OS X's dock is far better in my opinion. Yes I realize they are different in execution.
Not that they will do this for Snow Leopard. If anything, they'll do this for Mac OS XI in 2 years or more (according to me, much more). They have plenty of time to think about it, and to validate : is it improving anything, or is it just bad? Probably bad, but Apple being Apple, they might make miracles with this, add little twists that will make it useable.
Apple "stole" the GUI.
And so what?
Uhm, Microsoft already had the idea.
Which is exactly how Apple are doing this, layer upon layer is still 2D.
Real 3D maybe possible when you will have ... 3 walls to look around....
No they bought it from another company. Big difference.
Their are also several docks available for Windows, so what would happen to them if Apple gets it patented?
Their are also several docks available for Windows, so what would happen to them if Apple gets it patented?
Jesus christ, they're not patenting the "idea" of a 3D desktop, but the actual implementation they're using of it.
This is relevant because it is the first patent about it from a company that could push it mainstream. And as someone who has used Microsoft BOB... no, this is nothing like that.
Even Flip3D is a 3D interface and Sun has Looking Glass. The ideas Apple is attempting to patent are simply too trivial, seemingly with the sole intent of suppressing competition rather than protecting innovation.
Personally, I think Apple goes into detail enough to exclude patenting abstract ideas and hurting competition. For example, their patent application involves their Dock. The more specific a patent application is, the more they're excluding other ideas, and it's the general abstract stuff I'd be worried about. I've seen much worse examples than this.
x2
Note: The Research site was just updated so the page is unavailable but if you search you can even see a video of it in action (well everything but the dock)
http://www.walkernews.net/wp-content/uploa...taskgallery.jpg
Last edited by winrez on 12 Dec 2008 - 06:51
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4750948381745911864
A 4D desktop!!!
He said he would get on this as soon as he got done peeing on some more MyPhones
Room Project
crap..
The only idea I have seen, and actually liked, was a cube shape with a desktop on every side (6 in total). You could either use one huge desktop and flip/rotate the cube in a pretty 3D way to get to the rest of your icons, or use the 6 sides for up to 6 individually customised desktops.
Last edited by Antaris on 12 Dec 2008 - 11:34
Finally someone mentioned the most obvious problem with 3D desktops. It only took 14+ comments to do it.
Quick! Tell Apple that ASAP! I'm sure they haven't considered that at all!
LOL!
If anyone knows how to make a UI, it's Apple.
I wonder where it is in development? at the Mac Expo - are we going to see the UI demo'ed? is this going to be the finder replacement? lots of excitement for all concerned
It may seem dumb how you think it may look. But it may be good through another way!.
Touchless is multitouch (less) in the air using a webcam and your fingers
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