Simula: A VR window manager for Linux • Hacker News Board

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#81

Post by ravenstine » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 8:55 PM UTC

georgewsinger wrote: post #9

In case people are curious what it's like to work in VR, here's a demo of me using Simula: https://youtu.be/FWLuwG91HnI I would argue that working in VR is fundamentally superior to working in PCs/laptops. It's basically 10x the screens, focus, and work immersion. Simula's text quality is also very good (getting around the eye fatigue present in older VR Desktops).

> It's basically 10x the screens,

Holy crap, I never thought of it that way!

Anyone know if this is possible with macOS?

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#82

Post by ganzuul » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 8:56 PM UTC

I really wish we will soon get UI elements which are not flat, with form and function.

Volumetric video, spatial website navigation design guidelines, and augmented reality are high on m wish-list.

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#83

Post by snickell » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 8:58 PM UTC

Very cool work, particularly important is the text quality improvements. Could you talk about the approach to improving text quality is? Are you implementing projected font hinting by any chance?

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#84

Post by haolez » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:03 PM UTC

Not being able to see the keyboard would push my touch typing skills to the limit! I hope it's doable, because this seems incredibly useful.

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#85

Post by georgewsinger » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:04 PM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #79

kanetw wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunate name collision, and we never got around to renaming ourselves. I'll bring it up with George.

What is the reason you went with the name in the first place? Simula is the first part of simulation (which Simula was specialized in expressing), but I'm not seeing a simulation aspect here. Maybe an inside design inspiration relating to VR and simulating reality? Or maybe named after a village in Estonia?

"Simula" reminded me of the word "Simulation" or "Simulate", and had a good Matrixy feel to it. We're open-minded to a name reboot as we get further off the ground.

Right now we're working on perfecting Linux VR Desktop (for 2D apps), but the long-term goal is to bring forth killer office VR apps (for productivity, not gaming/entertainment) that wouldn't otherwise be possible in normal 2D Linux. These apps will likely take advantage of VR as an amazing "Simula[ting]" environment.

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#86

Post by georgewsinger » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:09 PM UTC

carapace wrote: post #80

Been thinking about VR workspaces since sometime in the '80's. Broadly, they suck. It seems so cool but in practice VR adds pointless overhead to efficient UI. Windows with affine transformations suck at their one job . Very few people use Second Life as an IDE. The big win, as far as I can tell, would be to engage the user's spacial memory. (There is a small but non-zero niche for 3D visualization of complex systems…

I just added Computers as Theatre to my reading list.

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#87

Post by georgewsinger » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:10 PM UTC

haolez wrote: post #84

Not being able to see the keyboard would push my touch typing skills to the limit! I hope it's doable, because this seems incredibly useful.

When touch typing fails, Simula has a mouse & keyboard view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5c3Hfp8Hcw Right now it's binded to `Super + w`.

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#88

Post by georgewsinger » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:12 PM UTC

ganzuul wrote: post #82

I really wish we will soon get UI elements which are not flat, with form and function. Volumetric video, spatial website navigation design guidelines, and augmented reality are high on m wish-list.

Can you elaborate what you mean by volumetric video and spatial navigation?

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#89

Post by georgewsinger » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:13 PM UTC

_anastasia wrote: post #69

Sounds like this would work nicely with vim³[0] [0] https://github.com/oakes/vim_cubed

Nothing improves productivity more than vim³.

Re: Simula: A VR window manager for Linux

#90

Post by mhh__ » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 9:15 PM UTC

lukifer wrote: post #21

georgewsinger wrote: post #9

In case people are curious what it's like to work in VR, here's a demo of me using Simula: https://youtu.be/FWLuwG91HnI I would argue that working in VR is fundamentally superior to working in PCs/laptops. It's basically 10x the screens, focus, and work immersion. Simula's text quality is also very good (getting around the eye fatigue present in older VR Desktops).

How is the eye fatigue in general? How long can you go in a VR work session? For VR gaming (Oculus Rift), I start to experience mild discomfort after about 30min, which grows severe by 60min. It's hard to envision using VR for a full work day. (My eyes are fairly light-sensitive from laser-eye surgery; not sure how much is saccading, vs. bright light directly in front of the eyes.)

It really depends on the task - I (currently) have an OG Vive, and its absolutely fine for games with good anti-aliasing (no discomfort for me for basically any length of time, although I mainly play beatsaber and you don't really focus on the blocks beyond blinks of light and muscle memory), but it's hopeless if you want to watch a movie let alone program. The kind of programming I tend to do is generally fiddly enough that I've got a book open or some kind of datasheet etc. (I think - even good - VR would be a hindrance here)

I think the Index might be OK but I couldn't comment.