Sun Microsystems is developing a 3D desktop interface which it says will offer users new functionalities and decrease clutter.
Project Looking Glass is due for public release in February 2005, but Sun has opted to make the product available to the open source community in the hopes of adding more features and improving stability, says Sun senior systems engineer Dumisani Mtoba.
"The project is still in the development stage. There is a lot of innovation going on in the open source community, so we will likely see a lot of new applications coming out."
Sun technical support engineer Craig Nicholas says the main advantage of the 3D interface will be increased usability for the consumer. "Basically it's a better desktop environment. It will also offer increased productivity because you can open and navigate more documents in the 3D environment - and your screen won't get cluttered."
Other functions on offer include window transparency - allowing users to view multiple window layers - and the ability to 'flip' windows over to write memos on the back. "You often have a scenario that you need to make note of something relevant to a particular application. Now you can just type in what you need to on the back of a window, and go back to it when you need it."
Although the 3D interface will introduce new functionality, it will also be more graphics intensive, concedes Nicholas. "With the program as it is, we are able to run it on a 32MB graphics card on a P3 processor. In terms of current computer specs, I don't think that will pose too much of a problem."
Another concern is the willingness of consumers to adapt, adds Mtoba. "People are accustomed to a 2D interface, and people don't really want to change that." For that reason, the product will be offered as an addition to the traditional 2D desktop environment, allowing users to alternate between the two, says Mtoba.
"This way, it is an enhancement to the desktop, and an ideal way for people to gradually get used to it. Hesitance is just part of the process. If you look back, people didn't want to change over from a DOS-based system to Windows."
The 3D environment is designed to be as seamless as possible, says Nicholas, adding that users would have the offer of call centre support. "It will be part of our Java desktop support, so Looking Glass will be encompassed in it. If you have a contract with Sun, you will be able to call someone."
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