Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!hplabs!hpda!hpcuhb!hpcilzb!hpcea!twakeman
From: twakeman@hpcea.CE.HP.COM (Teriann Wakeman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: wireless keyboard (was Re: replacing the desktop metaphor)
Message-ID: <430069@hpcea.CE.HP.COM>
Date: 21 Dec 88 19:22:55 GMT
References: <4362@pitt.UUCP>
Organization: HP Corporate Engineering - Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 26

>What I would like to see is the desktop metaphor extended into 3D, say
>for example, an office.  You would have a desktop, a trashcan, a phone,
>an inbasket/outbasket, a filesystem, etc.  Each of the services that are
>offered by the system are represented as an object in the office.

This part has been done before. Around '85 there was a comercial finder
replacement out that had a 3-d office. You clicked on objects to use
them. It came with several utilities to extend the desk top metafor, such
as a rolodex on the desk that pulled up a rolodex program, phone for
telecomm program & so on.   The product was a flop. Considering the
advertizing done, I suspect this was a real money losser.

I might support the idea of multiple desk tops each customizable to
different tasks. Key would be the ability to have an Icon reside on
multiple desk tops all pointing to a single application.

I simulate multiple desktops with hard disc partitions. Each partition
is set up for a different primary use. The real problem is if I want to
be able to use an application from multiple partitions, I need multiple
copies of the application taking up precious disk space.

Also, I have not yet found a HP partition application I am completely 
happy with yet.


TeriAnn