Re: [gnome-love] RFC: Time Pass Ideas

[ortron <ortron gmail com>]

Hi BVK,

I think you're on to something about changing the desktop metaphor.
It's an area that some people in computer science have looked at, but
in my opinion no great alternative has come up - there seem to always
be shortcomings.  It looks like at the fundamental level, the "file
tree" is here to stay, but I think what you're talking about is
possible at a level that the average user would see.

In fact, something remarkably similar to your suggestion was once
called "Microsoft Bob."  I guess it's still called that :)  Some good
reading on the topic can be found with a google search for "desktop
metaphor" or "interface metaphor."  Also, there's a historic tour of
Microsoft Bob at this link: http://toastytech.com/guis/bob.html - you
may recognize some Office Assistants!

- ortron

On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 12:40 AM, BVK <bvk groups gmail com> wrote:
> I was looking at Document-Centric-Gnome slides, and it triggered me a
> new idea to manage files in a Computer.  Though it doesn't suit for
> everybody's needs, I wanted to post it here so that it doesn't get
> lost.  BTW, I do not have much GNOME development skills so I am not in
> anyway promising anything for you; interested developers can take it
> further :-)
>
> The Problem
>
> Currently all desktops (including Mac OS X) impose a _structure_ on
> the way users store their files.  This structure is unnatural and is
> called folders or directories.  I would say many users who use
> computers don't know _why_ that structure is _necessary_.  This tree
> like folder structure is developed not to solve users' problem but to
> solve file systems' problem.  Its like an efficient data structure.
> Currently users have to _understand_ it before they can effectively
> store any files on the computer.  This is very unfortunate; users
> shouldn't understand the underpinnings of a system to use it
> effectively.
>
> What the system should provide to users is, a very _natural_ way to
> locate their file.  I was thinking in these lines and came up with
> this thought.
>
> The Idea
>
> What is _natural_ for most of the users?  Imagine you are a guy who
> doesn't use computer at all, how do you manage your stuff?  How do you
> listen to music?  How do you watch movies?  How do you read books?
> How do you write your dairy?  These are the kind of things that people
> used to do before computers exists, and how they did it is what i
> consider as _natural_.  All the elements there, like music, movies,
> pictures, notes, etc. now became computer files.  So, if the system
> can somehow provide similar environment for them then, I guess, users
> would feel right at home (No Proofs Yet).
>
> So what should the system provide for this?
>
> System should provide an _additional_ living-room for their users
> where they can store their files.  This will be most natural for the
> users (Guess Work.)
>
> When users open their home icon it should provide a nice living-room
> picture (or quake-like room with proper textures) instead of window
> with folders like movies, music, etc.  This living room should contain
> regular devices that you see in our houses, like TV, Music system,
> Bookshelf, etc. and each of them should be kind-of where users can
> keep their files.
>
> As everyone lives in a house these are natural stuff they work with in
> their non-computers life.  Each of these items should selectable and
> when users selects a TV, the TV should get closer and view should move
> on to top-side of TV surface, where thumbnails of all the files
> (usually movies) that are scattered by that user.
>
> When user wants to save/open a file the same living-room should be
> displayed with almost same semantics as the home window.  We expect
> the users to save their movies near their TV, music near their Music
> System, etc.  There could be a place like desk where all unorganized
> files go.
>
> Fun Stuff
>
> The way we present the living room could matter a lot.  We could have
> complete living-room like experience by providing quake-like moving
> behavior within the window.  We can have multiple rooms with doors
> where user can walk inside like in quake again.  We can have separate
> tool to layout the items in the room as the user sees it fit.
>
> We could have a safe in the living-room, when the user selects, it
> should ask for password, etc.
>
> User could save his porn under the TV or some hidden places like that ;-)
>
> and a lot more are possible :-)
>
>
> --
> bvk-chaitanya
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