3d today instead of when MS wants to go...

["Hibbard M. Engler" <hib kcd com>]

Thanks for the replies regarding doing a 3d gui instead of a 2d one.

Here are my comments:


Todd- Raster who suggested that I code it before I flaunt it.  I might
well do that.  It just seemed better for the future of Linux and freeware
to discuss this here first.  
But perhaps the 3D video cards are not the best option.  Lets say we
figure out how to link with a Nintendo 64? That has a very smooth video
chip designed by SGI.  Well, it doesn't have to be Nentendo,  but the idea
of using cheap video game hardware, that has been proven to do 3d better
than almost any X box does have some appeal.


Steve- Psuedo 3D,  I guess that really is what X and windows is today- One
layer per window.  

Geoff - not X-windows.  I understand it is possible to provide X
extentions for 3D.  Hard, but possible. 


Ian - fluff + illusion.  Lets stray the hardware a little bit beyound the
college student's $200.00 486 for one second.
  It should be possible to use some I-gogs (the real 3d kind) semi
effectively- although thir resolution is limited.
  Another possibility is attach two CCD's to the I-gogs and run those into
the video cards as background.  Now instead of pretend reality,  you have
"augmented reality".  As for real-estate,  the ability to rotate , move to
another room, dive into or pull back from a set of documents is much more
useful for switching application sets then the 9 screen trick that most
WM's do.  


Alan Shutko - no good 3d interfaces yet
Check out http://www.sics.se/dive/
Its slow, but has some neat ideas.



Thats it for my counter-arguments.  But really, people need more than
"better windows" to drop Microsoft.



Thanks for the comments, and I expect more.
Hib