Would 3D interfaces make things better?
Wednesday, May 1, 2002 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
For interacting with data and information, do you think having a 3-D interface would actually be more useful than the 2D style interfaces we have today?
I personally don't think so. Ultimately, interacting with information seems to work best when it's relatively linear. That is, as straight forward as possible from the source to the user. Making it 3D would add layers of complexity to it.
But I could be wrong since I've never seen a 3D interface and can't really imagine a good one. But perhaps someone reading this can think of a good 3D interface.
What do you think?
I personally don't think so. Ultimately, interacting with information seems to work best when it's relatively linear. That is, as straight forward as possible from the source to the user. Making it 3D would add layers of complexity to it.
But I could be wrong since I've never seen a 3D interface and can't really imagine a good one. But perhaps someone reading this can think of a good 3D interface.
What do you think?
craeonics
Reply #2 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 1:34 PM
Reply #2 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 1:34 PM
Only when the projection is true 3D too (holograms and such). Though I have been thinkg about 3D-skins. imagine an app which you can spin around for specific controls.
Jafo
Reply #3 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 7:13 PM
Reply #3 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 7:13 PM
There was a 3D shell...can't remember its name...but it had virtual 'rooms', etc....many of us went 'ooh, ah' for about ten minutes and the novelty wore off...
starone
Reply #4 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 8:07 PM
Reply #4 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 8:07 PM
Is that anything like trying to make the windowblinds border circular when it is completely square?
paxx
Reply #5 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 8:46 PM
Reply #5 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 8:46 PM
ANd there is also Microsoft who's research department came up with The Task Gallery, an atempt to some sort of a 3D windows manager: http://research.microsoft.com/~maartenv/papers/CHI2000-Robertson-TaskGallery-submitted.pdf
JanusXP
Reply #6 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 9:10 PM
Reply #6 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 9:10 PM
I think it would be best to use 3D effects and graphics in an interface that's still 2D.
adni18
Reply #7 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 9:12 PM
Reply #7 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 9:12 PM
Good link paxx 
What I saw there is it like something Apple has done it long time ago, but it makes you feel dizzy.
What I saw there is it like something Apple has done it long time ago, but it makes you feel dizzy.
WolfwoodX
Reply #8 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 9:50 PM
Reply #8 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 9:50 PM
If it is anything like the TaskGallery, then yes! I like the TaskGallery idea, but it badly needs improvement.
http://research.microsoft.com/ui/TaskGallery/index.htm
http://research.microsoft.com/ui/TaskGallery/index.htm
juni
Reply #9 Thursday, May 2, 2002 1:03 AM
Reply #9 Thursday, May 2, 2002 1:03 AM
A bit like the wristcomputer in the Final Fantasy movie, perhaps?
moshi
Reply #11 Thursday, May 2, 2002 8:07 AM
Reply #11 Thursday, May 2, 2002 8:07 AM
Jafo: that was Dimension. it is still available from here: http://www.shellfront.org/shells/dimension-1.00b.zip the vwm and the filemanager can also run as standalone apps.
feline
Reply #12 Thursday, May 2, 2002 12:56 PM
Reply #12 Thursday, May 2, 2002 12:56 PM
i have seen one example that looked very good.
it was on an Open University program about GUI design. since it was only demonstrated on tv i have never got to interact with it personally.
they were showing a tree of data, about 6 layers deep. it started with one node at the top. each node branched into 10 sub nodes.
it was layed out sideways (top at the left, bottom on the right) on a monitor.
you clicked on a node to rotate it in the plane of the monitor. the idea was to rotate it so the desired item was on top. then you repeated at each node as you work down the tree, presumably refining your search as you went. the user was using a mouse to interact with the nodes.
it looked very attractive, and for a roughly symetrical tree seemed like a very appealing idea.
probably wouldnt work for the hightly lopsided directory structures i always seem to end up with on my computers though
it was on an Open University program about GUI design. since it was only demonstrated on tv i have never got to interact with it personally.
they were showing a tree of data, about 6 layers deep. it started with one node at the top. each node branched into 10 sub nodes.
it was layed out sideways (top at the left, bottom on the right) on a monitor.
you clicked on a node to rotate it in the plane of the monitor. the idea was to rotate it so the desired item was on top. then you repeated at each node as you work down the tree, presumably refining your search as you went. the user was using a mouse to interact with the nodes.
it looked very attractive, and for a roughly symetrical tree seemed like a very appealing idea.
probably wouldnt work for the hightly lopsided directory structures i always seem to end up with on my computers though
mephisto corugant
Reply #13 Thursday, May 2, 2002 1:21 PM
Reply #13 Thursday, May 2, 2002 1:21 PM
what about the filemanager that was used in jurassic park? it was for unix, anyone know what it was called? that at least seemed like it could be useful
mephisto corugant
Reply #14 Thursday, May 2, 2002 1:32 PM
Reply #14 Thursday, May 2, 2002 1:32 PM
yeah, this http://www.sgi.com/fun/freeware/3d_navigator.html was it...sure beats packard bell's old 'navigator' interface with the rooms and the icons on shelves as far as usability goes...but 3d will never really take off without 3d inputs, a 2d mouse just wouldn't cut it efficiency wise
craeonics
Reply #15 Friday, May 3, 2002 4:14 AM
Reply #15 Friday, May 3, 2002 4:14 AM
There are 3D input devices. I played with a space mouse some years ago to glide through 3D environments. Works pretty intuitive. Rotate forwards a bit and you go forwards, rotate back and you go back, press (gently) and you go down, lit and you go up. Takes a little bit of getting used to, but works like a charm.
AJCrowley
Reply #17 Saturday, May 4, 2002 3:09 AM
Reply #17 Saturday, May 4, 2002 3:09 AM
I think that while a 3D interface is nice in theory, it just doesn't work on a 2D display. To illustrate what I mean a little more clearly, the Task Stack in MS's TaskGallery looks great, you can see more of each task than with a window maximized, but on closer inspection, it's just a window cascade with a 3d effect on it. You can use cascade right now on your windows without any addons (right click your taskbar) - why don't you? Simple, because it wastes valuable screen real estate. The will undoubtedly come a time when 3D display devices are the norm, but while we're stuff with 2D, we cannot have a true 3D interface, and any attempt to simulate a 3D interface will just make your desktop environment harder to work with.
AJC
AJC
_Melian_
Reply #18 Saturday, May 4, 2002 7:44 PM
Reply #18 Saturday, May 4, 2002 7:44 PM
I think 3D interfaces would be bad because they would be harder to cusotmize. I don't know how to make 3D textures or whatever it is you have to create. Personalization is really important to me.
Vema
Reply #19 Sunday, May 5, 2002 6:28 PM
Reply #19 Sunday, May 5, 2002 6:28 PM
There is a 3D Browser.replacement for Internet Explorer,I have tried but don't like at all,would appr your coment
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
Reply #1 Wednesday, May 1, 2002 1:18 PM