1. There's a basic distinction between "Interface Metaphors" - that is how we view the system as a whole (Windows, OS X, BumpTop, MIrrorWorlds).
2. Applications interfaces, that sit on top of the basic system UI.
These are not necessarily tightly-coupled, but the second is ultimately dependant on the first. Refering back on the LookingGlass discussion, if the system UI doesn't natively support 3D, then layering a 3D app;lication interface over that is more difficult (than it ought to be).
Here are some examples I've been impressed by over the past few years. And none of which have made the impact they really ought to have (click the title to go to the actual site).
The GlassEngine -
A great interface to a deep set of multimedia resources, especially notable for the way in which the interface clarifies the relationships that underly the data and the way we think about it.
(I can't guarantee that this will work on any given system. Which highlights yet another problem: the almost-instantaneous obsolesence of many applications. One upgrade of any arbitrary component and your favorite app is toast.)
Visual Thesaurus -
An English major (which I am/was) has a particular relationship to words and the network of connections embedded in language. The Visual Thesaurus lets us view and explore that network. Being able to 'see' the relationships, rather than just 'talk' about them, is another case of, as I once said in a different context...Writing About Music Is Like Dancing About Architecture.
Grokker -
Google is a wonderful thing, it changed the way we use the Internet, no doubt. Ask the average person how they learn about things and the #1 answer for the last couple of years is, "I just google it." (Anytime a tradename turns into a common usage verb/noun and you know a Rubicon's been definitively crossed.)
On the other hand, I don't know about you, but that text list of links falls short as often as not. There are alternatives, we just too often don't know about them, or use them as we ought to. Grokker is just one of them.
There's a much bigger world out there than the one we're living in most of the time. Let's step through the door.
1 comment:
Grokker was awesome in concept but it was too far ahead of it's time. Who knows, maybe it will come back in 3 space, something that would really make it shine in presenting tremendous amounts of data that would extend far beyond the confines of today's 2D systems.
The Glass Engine has beaucoup tech power but the presentation part needs a bit of finessing in order for it to be truly transformative. (Web 2.0 sliders on the music examples would make this engine fly.)
Visual Thesaurus is tres cool. Compendium is another app that has the same kind of connectivity and...it's open source.
With systems becoming so powerful, the ability to construct luscious interfaces on top of intense code is a done deal, the task now is how to build software that transcends what we have now to empower people to do unbelievably outrageous things.(I-Phone anyone?)
Good article here to be sure.
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