Re: 3d number 3

[Spauldo da Hippie Elf <spauldo geocities com>]

"Hibbard M. Engler" wrote:
<snip>

> Spauldo - Gnome is for people to work in. 3d is fun to play in but not
> work in. if you build a 3d window manager, they will come- maybee.
>    Work today is to drive to an office, and stand and type in front of the
> computer, and make a few phone calls.  In other words, work today is
> limited by the flat expression of ideas on our machine.

Work is often a flat idea.  I dunno if you work with normal non-techie
users, but I've worked tech support and have co-ran a linux network that
had many non-techie users on it.  The computer to them is only a tool,
and they barely know how to use it.  The phrase "I know how to turn it
on, and type in it, but that's about it" comes to mind.  These people
barely know how to use a keyboard, much less anything as advanced as 
desktop settings.

I do my work in fvwm (bland config) or olvwm 'cause that's the easiest
place to do it in...  all that fancy stuff don't get in the way.  3d
would be ugly and boring without the fancy stuff, IMO...  it's fancy by
nature.

> I entered this mailing list to see if I could influence this development,
> as because it is Red Hat, much clout goes into whatever you create.
> Thanks to the constructive criticism, I now know that Berlin, or my own
> creation would be a more proper avenue.  But before I leave this
> enlightening debate, I would ask you if any of the 3d ideas on the top of
> my head appeal, or reveal the need for a "deeper" paradigm.  This is
> important to me, as it will help me decide if my plan is cool, just OK,
> completely done before, or lame.

Well, all arguments aside, your idea kicks ass.  I'd love a 3-d
interface on my system.  Hell, if I could code for crap I'd help write
it.  This is something that will need done, and if the open source
people do it first, then that's all the better for us.  'course when M$
gets around to doing it, they'll do it WRONG (as usual) so hopefully
we'll stand out as the better interface when those days come.

The transition from 2d to 3d will take a while.  It's not something that
will happen overnight, and will probably happen first for gamers and
geeks (me being of the latter category).  Business use will probably
come last (ever notice the DMV, Employment Agency, some airlines, and
many other businesses still use DOS?).  If you look at it from the
business point of view, why should they change if what they have now
works for them?  They will catch on, eventually, and use it, but it'll
be a while...

I don't really see how gnome can fit in at this point.  Without the
basic groundwork laid, there's really nowhere we can go.  It would be
like trying to write E before X was invented.  I'm sure though, that
after such an interface is built, that gnome or something like it will
be ported to it.