::scr IA Goldrush (was Ramblings of a Classic Refugee)

[Alex Robinson]

Simon Batistoni wrote:

> I *can* see it happening. There have been a lot of rumblings 
> for a while now
> on various of the tech and online news/opinion sites about new 
> interfaces,
> and removing the dying desktop metaphor. This list is 
> positively bursting
> with it, and in the programmer circles in which I move, the 
> idea of creating
> new and interesting interfaces to our machines has been a 
> slow-burning but
> deeply infectious meme.

Sorry to once again come on all Cassandra-like, but these 
rumblings are still just rumblings. Which OS is actually making 
any kind of break from tradition? Sure l33t programmers and 
hobbyists might tinker with new paradigms but the average user 
is just going to stick with what they've been given. I think the 
IA Goldrush (if (a) there is to be one and (b) it's not just 
agencies dressing up the latest design fads with 
impressive-sounding computery jargon) will not be about the 
desktop but rather about servicey-type apps. I don't like it but 
Watson seems to point the way things might go.

http://www.karelia.com/watson

Added to which there's the so-imminent-maybe-
it's-already-happened launch of FlashMX, remarketroided as an 
application development suite (and allegedly they've 'fixed' the 
back button 'problem').

I'd wager that the traditional browser will be dead before the desktop.

As for new interfaces for new devices, I think Palm have done an 
incredible job (ta Celia for that link to the Zen of Palmistry) 
and that people will be hard pressed to revolutionise it rather 
than just steadily improve it (as to why, well just read the Zen 
piece[0]). Here I think the issue is, if we get things like this 
(http://www.sony.co.jp/sd/products/Consumer/PEG/PEG-
NR70V/style.html) over here anytime soon, how many people are 
going to even need let alone want desktop machines?



Anyhow from (g)rumblings back to the original ramblings...

<of no interest whatsoever to non-Maccers>
Despite spending more and more time at the command line in 
MacOSX, I've recently been fiddling with MaxMenus 
<http://www.maxmenus.com>. Springloadedness and Fitts Law to 
the, er, max. Puts the 4 corners of your desktop to good use 
plus you can hotkey any menu to appear right where your mouse 
is. It's (dare I say it) FinderPop for OSX. Except that it's 
$29.95.
</>


[0] For lazy people who still haven't read it and are too lazy 
to find Celia's original post
http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/docs/zenofpalm/ZenTOC.html