Moving the Linux desktop to another reality • Hacker News Board

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#71

Post by mncharity » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 4:45 AM UTC

dreamcompiler wrote: post #28

gmueckl wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The current generation of headsets is unsuited for showing large amounts of reasonably sized text. The display resolution is not there yet. If you map your desktop into a plane in VR space at the proper distance, your UI text shows up heavily aliased and barely readable due to the texture resampling that happens in that process. You need to increase resolution by another factor of two or three to make that actually c…

Lighter, higher-resolution headsets + full keyboard control = 3D Emacs!

Yes. If anyone knows of any existing code to support say 3D cross/parallel-eye stereo views, with z-axis displaced words, in an emacs buffer being actively edited, I'd like to hear of it. Teaching your window manager to be 3D is fun, but the next step is to teach your apps.

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#72

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 5:00 AM UTC

gmueckl wrote: post #8

Zak wrote: post #4

I've been wanting the option of a VR desktop for a while now. Last I looked, it wasn't ready for prime time, and that's still my impression now. I find a small 16:9 screen pretty unacceptable for coding, and the market currently offers very limited options for anything taller in a laptop. I'm eager to see where this goes, and may need to start shopping for a head-mounted display.

The current generation of headsets is unsuited for showing large amounts of reasonably sized text. The display resolution is not there yet. If you map your desktop into a plane in VR space at the proper distance, your UI text shows up heavily aliased and barely readable due to the texture resampling that happens in that process. You need to increase resolution by another factor of two or three to make that actually c…

[deleted]

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#73

Post by DonHopkins » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 6:35 AM UTC

catotheyoungest wrote: post #38

Why do people think this worth trying to implement? Is it because it looked cool in movies like Minority Report ? What is the target demographic for this? What is the use case? Why would I want to add additional and unnecessary complexity to my workflow?

This is just like when motion pictures were first invented, and all people could think of to do was to point a camera at a stage and record a play in one continuous shot.

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#74

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 6:51 AM UTC

dflock wrote: post #17

asark wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chrome OS doesn't give me the benefits that drive me to sometimes use the Linux desktop, so it doesn't really matter whether it addresses any of the (many, serious) problems that keep me from using Linux for everything.

You can run real linux as well a ChromeOS: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/9145439?hl=en

[deleted]

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#75

Post by dreamcompiler » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 6:52 AM UTC

mncharity wrote: post #71

dreamcompiler wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lighter, higher-resolution headsets + full keyboard control = 3D Emacs!

Yes. If anyone knows of any existing code to support say 3D cross/parallel-eye stereo views, with z-axis displaced words, in an emacs buffer being actively edited, I'd like to hear of it. Teaching your window manager to be 3D is fun, but the next step is to teach your apps.

Interesting idea. What would you use this for?

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#76

Post by smcnally » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 8:21 AM UTC

wlesieutre wrote: post #62

davesmith1983 wrote: post #13

This is going to be another compiz cube. It looks cool, but I doubt it will be very useful outside of showing off some cool tech. Also Valve tbh have dropped a lot of their more interesting tech. I had one of their steam links which isn't even sold anymore. The steam link was actually pretty useful for steaming anything on your desktop, I am sure you can do the same with a Raspberry Pi and some scripts but it worked…

I don’t know that most people would use this, but there’s a definite benefit that a VR headset can give you a grid of six 40” monitors for $400. Or whatever display setup you want. It’s an economical way to get a lot of real estate. The resolution kills that notion for now, but someday it might become a cost effective setup. Add a pair of noise canceling headphones and you can pretend your tiny desk is a private offi…

How far off is current headset resolution from what’s needed for reading code, working with files, audio, video?

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#77

Post by panpanna » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 8:53 AM UTC

babarock wrote: post #44

skykooler wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compiz cube was what convinced me to try Linux in the first place - I had always thought of it as a boring server OS, but then I saw the desktop cube and wobbly windows and thought "that looks cool enough to try it out." Hopefully this could have a similar result for some people who have VR headsets.

Same. And I like many, I turned that damn cube off after 2-3 months of use.

"came for the cube, stayed for the freedom"

This is more common than you would suspect

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#78

Post by gmueckl » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 8:59 AM UTC

mncharity wrote: post #70

gmueckl wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've used or tried most of the major headsets available in the market. None of them is remotely close to a resolution where reading reasonably sized text isn't straining. The large screen concept is a bit problematic. A large planar screen distorts the portions you're not in front of because you're only seeing them at pretty extreme angles. A cylindrical screen distorts projected content, e.g. photos or 3d graphics d…

> I've used or tried most of the major headsets available in the market. None of them is remotely close to a resolution where reading reasonably sized text isn't straining. I use DJI's 1080p drone goggles. With DIY shutter glasses, because DJI didn't expose independent panel inputs. :/ It looks like a 3D TV screen, not VR, but you get readable small fonts from corner-to-corner (almost, depending on whether you also n…

What I wrote has nothing to do with skeuomorphism, only with human anatomy, perception and pretty basic geometry. I am not proposing that windows get rendered with 3d modelled grips for grabbing and moving.

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#79

Post by larrik » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 12:53 PM UTC

vijayr02 wrote: post #36

logosmonkey wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I bought an extra one when they discounted them to near nothing after they announced they were discontinuing them. It's nice to be able to play games on my bedroom TV when I'm going to bed :)

My issue with the steam link has been the steam controller (I know it's not the only option, but I got the bundle). I just can't get the hang of it. What have other people experienced on this? Does it get better with practice?

I generally use a XBox 360 controller with one of the wireless dongles plugged into the Link. It generally works very well, even for multiple controllers.

I never got a hold of the Steam Controller either. It never seems to do what it's supposed to. I'd love to be able to switch between Controller mode and K/M mode from the controller itself, but it never works. I also hate that it can't seem to just map itself to act like an XBox controller. Generally what happens is the game has no idea what to do with it, and I'm stuck until I get up and go to the computer itself.

I probably don't know enough about it, but I've had it for years and I just can't be bothered.

Re: Moving the Linux desktop to another reality

#80

Post by shultays » Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 1:55 PM UTC

echelon wrote: post #60

catotheyoungest wrote: post #38

Why do people think this worth trying to implement? Is it because it looked cool in movies like Minority Report ? What is the target demographic for this? What is the use case? Why would I want to add additional and unnecessary complexity to my workflow?

I want this right now . I use four monitors at work and two 4K monitors at home. A high-resolution VR setup gives you infinite workspace. Couple that with intelligent auto window management and you can forget moving windows around EVER again -- this is the ultimate mouseless experience that a tiling window manager can't even get close to. This is a huge productivity gain. The micro context switches that stem from mov…

VR resolution drops very quick when you look at something virtual from half meter away. If your virtual screen takes up to 1/4th of your screen for example it will be reduced to ~720p in a vr with 4k resolutipn per eye. Virtual desktops are not really useful as you think.

Plus VR strains your eye really quick and that comfortable to wear for long periods of time