Linked by Nicholas Blachford on Thu 19th Feb 2004 20:06 UTC
No, I'm not going all "New Age" on you, this time I'm looking at how computers are going to get a 3rd dimension and how this will change the way we interact with them. The previous parts of this series have been based on extrapolations or previous history. This time I'm looking further forward, when technologies currently in long term development become available and open up a whole new realm of possibilities.
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3d isn't gonna help anybody. We seem to be thinking that as we increase power we should throw all the increase of power (CPU speed) into the input/output systems. And we leave the IMPORTANT step, process, back in the 90's.
Instead of fixing our "broken" interfaces maybe we should fix our broken process code. Humans are quite adaptable, and things are fairly ergonomic as it is, so I don't see much need for great changes in UI. Optical (not gyro, because I only want it to move when my hands are in front of it) mice controlled with my finger would be cool, and useful for some situations (those where you are only on the machine for short periods and are likely standing up or walking).
A better keyboard would be nice. I'd use dvorak but nobody else does, and I just don't wanna have to switch back and forth. I would find dictation annoying, as my voice wears out faster than my hands; but a businessman would love it.
In the end the mind makes the display of the interface good or bad. 2d is still 3d because the mind allows itself to be deceieved. But our physical input systems kinda suck. I have to move my hand from my keyboard to use my mouse, that's pretty annoying (and the reason why many prefer CLI).
There will be new dimensions in computing when computing makes some serious, not small incremental, improvements.