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From: jbn@glacier.STANFORD.EDU (John B. Nagle)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.misc,comp.sys.next,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: replacing the desktop metaphor
Keywords: desktop metaphor, graphical interfaces, computing environments
Message-ID: <17917@glacier.STANFORD.EDU>
Date: 22 Dec 88 05:04:41 GMT
References: <4362@pitt.UUCP> <257@gloom.UUCP> <82702@sun.uucp> <12417@garnet.BBN.COM>
Reply-To: jbn@glacier.UUCP (John B. Nagle)
Organization: Stanford University
Lines: 22


       One can get carried away with mapping information into an illusion of
physical reality.  I've seen a number of examples of this in research
systems.  The architect of Microsoft Windows once was involved with the
development of a word processor in which one deleted words by dragging
them to the "trash can".  This proved not to be a useful concept.  At
Xerox PARC, I've seen a system in which windows and objects on the screen
have gravity, inertia, friction, and resiliency.  Move a window with the
mouse, release it while it's still moving, and it continues to move until
it hits something, then bounces.  Cute, but not useful.  The VPL people
tout the notion of programming by wiring functional units together with
"wires" on-screen.  This may appeal to the fraction of the population
that enjoys wire-wrapping.  A version of this concept for the little
ones is already available, called Robot Odessey.  This game, from The
Learning Company, allows kids to wire up simple robots with sensors,
"reaction jets", bumpers, and such, interconnected with logic built up
from AND and OR gates, flip-flops and inverters.  One can even create
new ICs; enough real estate is available in an IC for about a dozen
components.  An amusing game, but a painful way to get work done.

      More later if the dialog gets serious.
      					
      					John Nagle