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

[Reklaw <nawalker earthlink net>]

On  7 Oct, Jesse D. Sightler wrote:
> From: Reklaw <nawalker@earthlink.net>
> To: hib@kcd.com <hib@kcd.com>
> Cc: gnome-list@gnome.org <gnome-list@gnome.org>
> Date: Wednesday, October 07, 1998 8:43 PM
> Subject: Re: 3d today instead of when MS wants to go...
> 
> 
>>On  7 Oct, Hibbard M. Engler wrote:
>><snip-o-la>
>>>
>>> Thats it for my counter-arguments.  But really, people need more than
>>> "better windows" to drop Microsoft.
>>>
>>
>>Miscosoft is already working on something, I think they call it
>>"chrome". It uses the thing that they are working on with
>>SGI, the next step in DirectX (kalediscope?). Fact or FUD, I don't know.
> 
> Could you provide a link where I could find more info on this.  I've heard
> little remarks like this but never seen anything substantial.

A slidshow chrome: MS targets machines 350+Mhz w/ 64Megs and 
it's web-based
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/presents/winhec98/winhec2-4/sld001.htm

Chrome web-page: (this is what the slideshow says)
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/

More crap:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/platform/info/chrome.htm

In summary: Chrome is a 3d, flashy, Multi-media technology for
tom marrows computers (don't look for it to run on your current
computer). A "re-mappable" UI is a planned feature.

> 
>>You may also want to look at the Berlin project.
> 
> Could you please give me a link to this.  I've heard it mentioned on this
> list about 12 times, and have yet to see anything more informative than the
> name and that it is 3D.  :)

http://www.berlin-consortium.org/
They have a screenshot of two opengl widgets interacting. They
are gearing up for DR1. I was doing a little reading on their site,
seems they would like to have a X-compatibility layer, hmmmmm... 

> 
>>My opinion: 3d interfaces are unless with the hardware commonly found
>>on most computers. A 3d interface with common PC hardware would offer
>>few advantages over 2d --  and effectivly lock out not only low-end
>>users but also power users who like to compile 3 programs at once, play
>>gnome-stones, and browse the web and the same time.
> 
> 
> The same could have been sade of 2D interfaces just a few years ago.  This
> argument is fundamentally flawed, and just plain silly, IMO.  :)

Flawed and silly because you think otherwise? The leap in functionality
from character-based display to GUI is/was rather easy too. Perhaps you
might better convince people by listing new/better functionality of 
(1) 3d interface on 2d display and (2) using 3d goggles, taking into
account common arguments against both. I would be quicker to 
listen to that than someone calling me silly when they won't even
use a search engine for them selves <grin>.
Seriously, I know a little about these projects b/c I thought a 3d
interface maybe useful, I quickly came to another
consulsion. My major point is simply this, if people on this list
thought that 2d interfaces were not the best way to go currently (and in
the near future) they would not be helping out GNOME. If you want a 3d
interface, I think you should throw your support behind berlin or a
similar project. It might be a good idea to try to inter operate
with berlin when they have something usable. hmmm. berlin 
theme engine for gtk+? The berlin people even plug GNOME on their site.

-- 
==========
Reklaw - I code therefore I need gin and sprite.
GNOME software projects - Pharmacy * gnome-standalone 
http://home.earthlink.net/~nawalker/