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From: cory@gloom.UUCP (Cory Kempf)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.misc,comp.sys.next,comp.sys.mac,comp.cog-eng
Subject: One Step... (long!)
Message-ID: <263@gloom.UUCP>
Date: 27 Dec 88 17:51:18 GMT
Reply-To: cory@gloom.UUCP (Cory Kempf)
Organization: Alloy Computer Products, Framingham Mass.
Lines: 74

The following is a conceptualization of how I imagine that the next generation
(not the NeXT, but the REAL next generation) of user-interfaces will work...
nb: I had never heard of Rooms when I wrote my first article... As soon
as I get a chance, I am going to go look it up...

			-----------------

The Engineer enters his office in the morning and puts on his computer.
Almost instantly, the plain off-white office is transformed.  Now there is
a drawing table in front of him, a telephone, and all of the usual desk 
accutraments.  He picks up his pen, and begins to add those last finishing 
touches to the design for the Shuttle project.  Oops!  a mistake.  He turns
the pen upside down and uses the eraser.  Perfect.  The phone rings... it's
the boss... he wants a meeting in the small conference room.  (Good timing)

The Engineer presses the image of a map on the desk, and the navigator sub-
system comes up.  A map fades into existance on the top of the desk, but the
engineer decides not to teleport today...  He holds his hands in a position
as if he was holding a joystick... and a joystick fades into existance in 
his hands.  The desk fades from view as the chair moves forward out into 
the hall.  After a short journey, he finds himself at the enterance to the
small conference system.  He opens the door and is confronted by a blank black
wall with the word "Password:"  in large gold letters at eye level.  The 
boss is such a stickler for security!  He forms his hands into typing position,
and a keyboard appears... He types in a code word, the computer counters, he 
types in another counter code, and, as the codes match, he is let in.  His 
boss has set up the place in his typical brass and glass style.  No
problem... a hand gesture, and his desktop appears in front of him...
the touch of a button, and the Interior Decorator module is
activated... a few moments later, the room (as far as the engineer can
see is decorated in woodtones.  Once everyone arrives, the boss gives
the engineer the floor to present his proposel for the project... he
activates the modeling system, and once again the tabletop is
changed... instead of being made of wood (or glass, depending) it is
now appears to be a runway, with a small model of the new Shuttle... 

Everyone's view now changes to be looking over the shoulder of the
pilot.  He slowly taxis it over to the launch rails, and calls the
tower for permission to launch... 
...Later, he pulls the top off of the shuttle to show the passenger and
cargo space.  

...The meeting is breaking up, they like the design overall... but 
they want a few minor adjustments... the Engineer calls up the
navigator sub-system, and (this time, being in more of a hurry) 
points to the button marked "My Office" on the bottom.  A fade to
black to his office... 

Back in his office, he pulls open his file-cabinet, and walks down the
file-tree looking to see if he has the specs on that new engine system 
for the shuttle.  Damn... have to go to the library... Navigator...
touch the icon of the book with the letter 'E' on the cover... The
Engineering Library.  A small control pannel appears floating off to
the side.  He touches a few buttons, and in front of his is a shelf
containing spec. sheets on new engines.  He selects a few and then
returns to his office.  After scanning the data, he decides it can't
be done, and begins to write a memo... He selects the image of a memo
from the desktop, and forms his hands as if he were about to start
typing... the typewriter appears with his finger over the home keys.
With the cursor over the "To:" field, he takes one hand off of the
keyboard and pulls down a menu (out of thin air) and selects the list
of people on the shuttle project.  He then types in the rest of the
memo.  After pulling the paper out, reading it one last time and
signing it, he sticks it in the out basket.  

Oh yea... better let the boss know.  Grab the phone, pulls a
hierarchical menu out of nowhere, and selects his boss.  A window 
appears with his boss in it...

+C
-- 
Cory ( "...Love is like Oxygen..." ) Kempf
UUCP: encore.com!gloom!cory
	"...it's a mistake in the making."	-KT