Linux Desktop news

[Jammrock]

The cube thing is cool. I'll have to play with the final release of SUSE 10.1 on a Live CD to see how well it works on me own machine. May need to configure a triple boot soon.

[Jessterw]

I haven't moved my system to 10.1 yet, given it's beta status, but save for Photoshop, iTunes, and MSAccess, I am fully moved over to Suse 10.0 on my PC's (obviously I shall never taint the iBook ). Photoshop and Access are runnable via Wine, just haven't gotten them lined out yet. iTunes can safely stay in the realm of the iBook. Sadly I dbout either of the PC's (an HPaq desktop and a Compaq laptop) will be able to adequately run the XGL/Compiz niceties.

On to 10.1, I am impressed with the strides they've made recently and based on 10.0, Linux is finally suitable for the desktop. Instead of another Mac purchase for my next system, I am seriously considering investing in a nicely rigged Linux box; granted its main purpose will simply be for dev work.

[Byock]

I use SuSe 10.0 also, and I love it. I run XP in WMware on a second monitor for Outlook 2003. (REQUIRED here) Come on Wine!!

[Jammrock]

SUSE 10.1 went live 11 May. They only have the full install available, but expect to have the Live! DVD and downloadable DVD available by the end of May. Time to give xgl a test spin.

[leech]

I use SuSe 10.0 also, and I love it. I run XP in WMware on a second monitor for Outlook 2003. (REQUIRED here) Come on Wine!!

http://www.codeweavers.com/site/compatibility/browse/name?app_id=152;forum=1

Looks like it's almost there, Byotch... er, uhm, Byock

It installs in Crossover Office, but doesn't communicate with the server, in case you're too lazy to read that.

Leech

[VJ]

I wonder... SphereXP has a 3D interface for Windows XP.

http://www.spheresite.com/

But I don't really find it useful. I mean, a screen is 2D, so a useful 3D interface is very hard to accomplish. Even moreso because we don't have proper 3D navigation hardware (a mouse just moves in 2 dimensions).

The cube is interesting (for switching beteen multiple desktops), but the necessity of being able to put applications on the edge escapes me. Why would you want a video with one half on one side of the cube and the other half on another side? And what more benefits to you get from having your desktops as sides of a cube (apart from perhaps easier recognition of the desktop you are looking for, but a proper thumbnail view of a desktop might accomplish that without having to resort to 3D).

I do remember the Project Looking Glass, where it was possible to arrange the windows like books on a bookshelf (the window rotated in 3D, and on its edge was the title). While it looked nice, it does occupy quite a lot of screen space (much more than for instance a taskbar).

In all honesty, I appreciate a nice looking interface (e.g. the glass window effect), but not at the expense of usability nor performance. Screens that appear to be rotated in a 3D system look cool, but their usefulness remains a mystery to me.
The small tool GhostIt for instance adds features that are useful (the ability to keep inactive windows on top, ...) and should IMO be part of a window manager system.

Creating a 3D interface for a 2D display and 2D interface system is just asking for usability issues. (IMO)

Jörg

[TnT]

I agree VJ, a 3D interface right now seems pretty much like look what I can do without adding any value. How does a cube for switching desktops improve over a workspace switcher? How does a bookshelf improve over doing a rollup on a window?

Funny how we keep changing what is shown on the screen yet how we interact with the computer hasn't changed in all these years.

[cjolley]

I agree VJ, a 3D interface right now seems pretty much like look what I can do without adding any value. How does a cube for switching desktops improve over a workspace switcher? How does a bookshelf improve over doing a rollup on a window?

Funny how we keep changing what is shown on the screen yet how we interact with the computer hasn't changed in all these years.

Bob.

[Jessterw]

I agree VJ, a 3D interface right now seems pretty much like look what I can do without adding any value. How does a cube for switching desktops improve over a workspace switcher? How does a bookshelf improve over doing a rollup on a window?

Funny how we keep changing what is shown on the screen yet how we interact with the computer hasn't changed in all these years.

In terms of Linux and what we're seeing with XGL and related 'technologies' it's far less about how we interact with the computer; being far more about the 'wow' factor as it pertains to average users. A rotating cube with your desktops displayed on each side is far more appealing than a little set of squares in the corner. It's as simple as that.

Oddly, I prefer the cube over a standard workspace switcher. Has nothing to do with the visual side of it in terms of pretty, rather it's entirely a spacial thing. To each his own.

[TnT]

@cjolley

You know what? When I was young and dumb I used Bob. I'll have to admit and say it was actually quite a good desktop for kids. I figured out how to get into my sister's account and I changed her buddy to a rat. The fact that they took the little buddy idea and put it into their other software boggles the mind. That's for another discussion.

@Jesterzwild

Again, I'm gonna stray off topic, sorry...
One disappointment I have with the FOSS community is that there are a lot of people that just want to continuously play catch-up and copycat MS and Apple. Trying to sway people to switch, while a noble goal, isn't the best way to go about it. I think the strength of a smaller, but dedicated, user base is that innovative features can be tried without worry about losing people.

[Jessterw]

I don't necessarily disagree with you there. I've long argued that OpenOffice will (if it already isn't) become just as bloated as MS Office given their present course, which sees them trying to match the feature set of MS Office 2000/2003 while MS is off changing their Office in some evolutionary ways (some might say there's innovation involved).

I almost hate to say it, but F/OSS software, especially when we're talking GUI, is poorly designed. The interfaces are archaic and usability is dismall, nevermind the horrid accessibility implementations. That's not to say there aren't some really good packages available, but they're the exception, not the rule. The community and developers need to re-evaluate what their goals are and if they want to be considered as just alternatives and not the superior, innovative choice.

[VJ]

Oddly, I prefer the cube over a standard workspace switcher. Has nothing to do with the visual side of it in terms of pretty, rather it's entirely a spacial thing. To each his own.

I can understand that (mentioned it in my post)... But it is required to be able to play videos and games on the edge of a cube?

One of the first things I install on a PC is the Microsoft alt-tab replacement powertoy. It gives you a thumbnail of the application in the alt-tab dialog window. Very convenient if you have the same application open a number of times.
Things like that increase usability in my point of view. I have tested the vista-like thumbnail preview for the taskbar, but perhaps because it is too limited (doesn't work for all applications, or for multi document stuff) I didn't like it. But I can imagine a proper implementation is useful.

Usability is usually in small details...


Jörg

[Jessterw]

No, playing videos and games on the edge of the cube is pointless beyond the wow factor. I think in that regard it was merely a demonstration of the capabilities. If one were able to physically drag a window from one side to the other, that sort of effect would make sense, though I'm not sure if it works in that manner or not.

Usability is definitely in the attention to small details, which is something I find developers in general have no desire to do.