Graphics Archive

Using FontLab 4.5.1 to Create High Quality Fonts

Eugenia Loli 2003-01-16 Graphics 22 Comments

One of the most important visual parts of any operating system is of course, the fonts. Many times users on the net have argued about bad quality fonts used (installed by default) on alternative OSes. For the companies or individuals who would like to resolve such issues and create original and high quality fonts for their OSes (and not just for OSes), I would like to introduce them to FontLab 4.5.1.

Contexts, Timeframes and Tesseractors: Rewindable Desktops, Part II

Eugenia Loli 2003-01-09 Graphics 14 Comments

"The purpose of this series of documents is to introduce, and explain how to build a functioning rewindable desktop. Later, in Part III, we'll get into why you'd want to build one in the first place. For now, its all theory, lacking even a single scrap of code to demonstrate a proof-of-concept model. However, that's not to say it can't be done. Below, you will find (as best as I'm able to describe) the blueprints of how a rewindable desktop can be made. Its surely not the only way, but its the best way I know how to do it after much thought." Read the article at LinuxAndMain.

Is the Computer Desktop an Antique?

Submitted by sunlit mechanism 2002-12-11 Graphics 30 Comments

Twenty years ago, the PC world began a slow but inexorable consolidation around the desktop metaphor—with its files and folders and recycling bins—that now graces practically every computer screen on the planet. The desktop metaphor has served us well, particularly during a period of mass adoption when consolidating around one overarching visual metaphor helped new computer users adapt to life in front of the screen. But that unified approach is starting to fragment. Soon, Apple and Microsoft will need new metaphors for their operating systems.

NooFace: In Search of the Post-PC Interface

Submitted by Thijs Stalenhoef 2002-11-17 Graphics 12 Comments

My good friend Thijs Stalenhoef (from the BeOS/BeNews days) sent me a link to the NooFace web site, which is "in search of the Post-PC Interface". There are a lot of interesting articles to find there, so make sure you have a look at their archives as well.

When Good Interfaces Go Crufty

Eugenia Loli 2002-11-08 Graphics 42 Comments

"In Vernor Vinge’s sci-fi novel A fire upon the deep, he presents the idea of “software archeology”. Vinge’s future has software engineers spending large amounts of time digging through layers of decades-old code in a computer system — like layers of dirt and rubbish in real-world archeology — to find out how, or why, something works." Good stuff over there from UI designer Matthew "mpt" Thomas.

Rethinking the GUI for the Big Picture

Submitted by Prognathous 2002-10-13 Graphics 34 Comments

Computer scientist and entrepreneur David Gelernter believes computers should imitate life. That means rethinking what it means to manage knowledge—and replacing the current PC and Mac desktop with a "narrative structure." Read the article at CIOInsight.

GTK+ Users, Meet the LightHouseBlue Theme

Eugenia Loli 2002-10-12 Graphics 38 Comments

While we do not normally report on themes, this one is special. Remember a few months ago our article on a "random Gnome2-Limbo screenshot"? OSNews reader Jan Rosczak dived into coding and the result is the LightHouseBlue theme for GTK+ 1.x and 2.x, based on some of the suggestions found on that article. While there is still some work to be done (e.g. change some of my button/tab colors to not be so... loud :) the theme has already been accepted by users positively.

Graphical User Interfaces: It’s Time for an Overhaul

Eugenia Loli 2002-10-04 Graphics 51 Comments

"Apple released Mac OS X last year. Having used computers for almost twenty years, I can say that this new operating system is undoubtedly the best ever. Yet, there is an undercurrent of disappointment. There is something wrong with this OS. It’s not the MACH microkernel, the UNIX core or the fluid motions of the new GUI. Well, actually it is the GUI. It’s not a bad interface, it’s probably the best yet, but isn’t it about time we stopped pointing and clicking?" Read the editorial at MetaMute.

Stardock’s WindowFX 2 Released

Eugenia Loli 2002-10-03 Graphics 45 Comments

A few months ago we were discussing the upcoming release of WindowFX2 from Stardock, which was to utilize the graphics 3D hardware to render cool animations and transitions on your Windows. WindowFX2 is now out, there is a demo, and a very cool video where you can see the new, very cool transitions in action.

Steal Your Interface: A History

Submitted by Yama 2002-10-02 Graphics 88 Comments

"A history of computer interfaces follows a nice, tidy timeline. In the 1970s researchers at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center invented the basics of the point-and-click interface familiar today: mouse, windows, menus. Apple peeked at the research and brought it to the masses with the Macintosh in 1984. Ten years later, Microsoft copied Apple with Windows 95." Read the article at Wired.

Usability and Efficiency

Submitted by Matt Grab 2002-09-29 Graphics 35 Comments

"First, usability is often thought of as how easily a process can be completed on the first try. A process does not have to be 100% brain free in order for it to be highly usable. The best interface is also efficient. A GUI should be accessible both with the keyboard and with the mouse." Read Matt Grab's article on usability, found on his home page.

Pixologic to Unleash ZBrush 1.5

Eugenia Loli 2002-08-26 Graphics 12 Comments

Slow news day today, but this product is truly interesting and it deserves our attention. It is the most innovative graphics application I've seen since Painter (demo here), and that was many years ago. ZBrush from Pixologic is neither strictly 2D or 3D, but it is "2.5D". In addition to new features, ZBrush1.5, which comes out tomorrow, also provides significant enhancements in nearly every tool and palette. You'll get expanded and improved 2.5D painting capabilities, texturing options, and sculpting utilities, plus many behind-the-scene changes. The available demo for download (Mac/Win) is only for version 1.23b currently, but it will give you an idea of what this is all about. Also, CorelDraw 11 is out.

Stardock Readies 3D Composition System for Windows

Submitted by Michael A. Matthews 2002-08-22 Graphics 44 Comments

It seems that it is not just Apple, via Quartz Extreme, using the 3D capabilities of a graphics card to render a 2D desktop. Stardock has already released WindowFX 2, as part of their ObjectDesktop product, which is very equivelant to QE. As you can see from the screenshots, their preference panel for WindowFX contains a number of adjustments that you can do to the system and allows for very special effects to your modified Windows desktop with ease and speed.

Thoughts & UI Clean-Ups on a Random Red Hat/Gnome2 Screenshot

Eugenia Loli 2002-08-07 Graphics 143 Comments

I was reading Adam's preview of Red Hat Limbo beta 2 the other day, and was also checking out his screenshots. I already did a Gnome 2 review a few months back, and a month ago I did a more constructive article on KDE 3's UI. This time, I just picked a random screenshot off Adam's article, and I will suggest some UI changes to make it look better. IMNSHO, as always of course, so be prepared. Update: My post to Gnome Usability mailing list, regarding a more refined/fixed version of my GUI suggestion for the specific theme discussed.

Stardock Releases Object Desktop 2002 on CD

Eugenia Loli 2002-07-21 Graphics 17 Comments

Object Desktop 2002 is a desktop enhancement suite designs to allow Windows users to completely transform Windows into anything they want. It includes WindowBlinds, DesktopX, ObjectBar, IconPackager, WinStyles, and more. It also includes a 1 year subscription to ObjectDesktop.NET where users can download all the components of Object Desktop, updates, and new features. Our Take: I was lucky to have a "live" demo of the product from Stardock's CEO, Brad Wardell , a few months back. This set of applications truly transform the Windows GUI to something completely different, which is certainly not just skining, but a complete change of how the UI behaves and interacts with the user.

MIT Project Shows Future Interface Technologies

Submitted by Yves R. Crevecoeur 2002-06-21 Graphics 26 Comments

"Imagine a future in which you could tell your computer to move a folder inside another, and just by pointing with your finger, it would happen. Or being able to command your computer to print your vacation pictures on the nearest color printer, and not have to supply any more configuration information." The article is at InfoWorld.

The Commercial Feasibility of a Next-Generation User Interface

Submitted by Jared White 2002-05-27 Graphics 38 Comments

There's a new personal e-zine, The Idea Basket, that's debuting today with an editorial on the commercial feasibility of a next-generation user interface. The editorial talks about the state of current user interfaces, software such as Apple's iPhoto that is pushing the envelope of interface design, reasons why there has recently been such a lack of innovation and research in the field of interface design, and some ideas that both consumers and developers can employ to help bring computer software to the next level of usability.

Free Software and Good User Interfaces

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-21 Graphics No Comments

"Many people have argued that free software has trouble creating good user interfaces. Recently Matthew Thomas posted a nice example of this argument, which I found on Joel's web site. It was cool to find mpt's article, because it nicely articulates what's gone wrong with many projects - including past versions of all the major Linux/UNIX desktops." Read the rest of the editorial at Havoc Pennington's site.

Why Free Software Usability Tends to Suck

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-13 Graphics 32 Comments

"I’ve been having a discussion with someone from IBM about whether it’s ever possible for Free Software to have a nice human interface. In theory, I think it is possible. But in practice, the vast majority of open-source projects are also volunteer projects; and it seems that the use of volunteers to drive development inevitably leads the interface design to suck. The reasons are many and varied, and maybe one day I’ll turn this into a long and heavily-referenced essay. But in the meantime, here’s a summary." Matthew Thomas, a Mozilla contributor, explains why not many of the Free applications feature a good UI like most of their commercial counterparts do.

Adobe Unveils Photoshop 7.0 for MacOSX

Eugenia Loli 2002-02-24 Graphics 10 Comments

"Adobe Systems Inc. today will unveil one of the most important applications for Apple's MacOSX. The business world was able to hop on board the OSX bandwagon last November when Microsoft released Office v.X, but now the creative community can soon join the converts with the announcement of Photoshop 7.0. Photoshop 7.0 adds new features (the "Healing Brush" is one of them) and, of course, a new Aqua interface, but it's still the same familiar application that the creative professionals know and rely on to make a living." Despite the problems of the port, Photoshop 7 for OSX is here. Read the exclusive report and screenshots at MacCentral.