[IxDA Discuss] XGL Linux Desktop GUI

[Esteban Barahona]

I try it, but I see it more of a demo of what can be done not of a truly
improved, more usable interface design.

I will design a user interface for Unix as a personal project. It will be
done because I'm frustrated about many behaviours of current free
interfaces, because I like to learn, investigate and analize about
human-computer interaction and design solutions (specially something that
can be used by many, including me) and because there's virtually zero IxD
jobs where I live. Fame is something I care little, I prefer reputation to
get jobs. Part of the inspiration is Aqua (Mac OS X interface), but there's
many ideas elsewhere.

Hopefully someone will code it (I can code in C++ but idealy I prefer to do
the design of the user experience and it's not trivial so it will take lots
of time ...I can help coding, there's some friends that will like to learn
OpenGL and Xgl, compiz, Cairo, etc can be reused).

I have the general idea and will upload it to my personal website as an
"introduction" and "manual" of how to use that interface (it will not be
"real", just the idea of how its look 'n feel™) so that the community (of
interaction designers, software developers and end users) can discuss it. I
prefer OpenGL, but it can be implemented in other ways (the interface itself
is 2D, 3D can be used for the apps)... An online flash demo version can be
done too.

It will be called ZenSUI (originaly Zen Simple User Interface, but now I'm
thinking it can be Zen Simple User Interaction). I was reluctant to speak
about this project to anyone that I don't know in "reality" ...but I was
happy to find this mailing list and was planning to talk about ZenSUI when
the "intro/manual" was uploaded.

The current status is: a logo and domain <http://www.zensui.org>, discussion
with some software developers and some ideas drawed (with pencil and ink)
and collected in a carpet.

2006/9/15, Dave (Heller) Malouf <dave at ixda.org>:
>
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> material.]
>
> http://chris.pirillo.com/2006/09/06/vistas-ui-is-better-than-this/
>
> I came across this today via Digg.com.
> it is a video presentation from a Linux developer who is demonstrating
> some pretty neat graphic stuff using a Linux desktop with KDE and XGL.
>
> While it is all impressive, I have some questions about the "why?"
> factor and more importantly this multi-desktop cubing effect ... Is that
> really something people would use? Most people have a hard enough time
> understand having more than one window open at a time--desktops?
>
> Just wondering what people think.
>
> -- dave
>
> --
>
> David (Heller) Malouf
> Vice President
> dave(at)ixda(dot)org
> http://ixda.org/
> http://synapticburn.com/
>
> AIM: bolinhanyc // Y!: dave_ux //
> MSN: hippiefunk(at)hotmail.com // Gtalk: dave.ixd(at)gmail.com
>
>
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