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Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

github.com

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Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#41

Post by smcleod »

_chendo_ wrote: post #9

I've built an app that has the same goals (not operate a mouse) but approach it completely different. Rather than try to simulate the moving the mouse itself, Shortcat [ https://shortcat.app/ ] indexes the user interface (buttons, text fields, links, menus, etc) and enables fast fuzzy search of the interface. Type a word, abbreviations, or hints and hit Enter to click or action the element. Works almost everywhere on…

I've been playing around with ShortCat recently - really cool app! Keep up the good work.

Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#42

Post by MontyCarloHall »

hunogo wrote: post #34
pomatic wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people need tools like this, as an assistive technology - think RSI, Parkinsons and other issues that affect dexterity or elbow movement. Not so weird.

Thank you for explaining - as a consequence of illness and disability, I can understand the need. But why someone would intentionally make things more difficult for themselves as a preference, I don't get. It would be like walking around in crutches when you have two perfectly healthy legs.

If implemented well (as [0] is), it can actually be much faster than using the mouse for certain tasks. For example, when browsing Google results, it’s a lot quicker to navigate to a result by pressing the first letter or two of its link text than dragging the mouse to click the link.

As a more common example, I only launch applications by opening a prompt (e.g. Spotlight on Mac) and typing the first couple letters of the program I’m starting. This is much faster than navigating using the mouse to the applications folder/menu/dock/taskbar etc. and clicking an icon.

I agree keyboard-based navigation is not faster for everything. Luckily, tools like this don’t prevent you from also using a mouse!

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33222384

Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#45

Post by wruza »

MontyCarloHall wrote: post #42
hunogo wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you for explaining - as a consequence of illness and disability, I can understand the need. But why someone would intentionally make things more difficult for themselves as a preference, I don't get. It would be like walking around in crutches when you have two perfectly healthy legs.

If implemented well (as [0] is), it can actually be much faster than using the mouse for certain tasks. For example, when browsing Google results, it’s a lot quicker to navigate to a result by pressing the first letter or two of its link text than dragging the mouse to click the link. As a more common example, I only launch applications by opening a prompt (e.g. Spotlight on Mac) and typing the first couple letters o…

Reminds me of the times when every clickable element had an unde&rlined key and could be activated by alt-r. Then some designheads decided that it is non-beatiful and killed it.

Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#47

Post by bogwog »

ranguna wrote: post #19
alrlroipsp wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's XWayland for interop. Besides that, people have been moving away from X11 for years now.

I still question myself as to why

Have you actually used Wayland? Besides the obvious current issues (compatibility and/or missing features), it is way better. Even something as simple as moving and resizing windows feels noticeably faster and more responsive on Wayland compared to X.

I don't use it at the moment because of compatibility issues with some software that I use, but that's not Wayland's fault.

Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#48

Post by m1r5h1 »

_chendo_ wrote: post #9

I've built an app that has the same goals (not operate a mouse) but approach it completely different. Rather than try to simulate the moving the mouse itself, Shortcat [ https://shortcat.app/ ] indexes the user interface (buttons, text fields, links, menus, etc) and enables fast fuzzy search of the interface. Type a word, abbreviations, or hints and hit Enter to click or action the element. Works almost everywhere on…

I never comment on HN however I just want to say I've downloaded your app and it's very impressive - I'm going to try and incorporate this into my workflow the best I can. Thanks!

Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#49

Post by NhanH »

bogwog wrote: post #47
ranguna wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still question myself as to why

Have you actually used Wayland? Besides the obvious current issues (compatibility and/or missing features), it is way better. Even something as simple as moving and resizing windows feels noticeably faster and more responsive on Wayland compared to X. I don't use it at the moment because of compatibility issues with some software that I use, but that's not Wayland's fault.

> Besides the obvious current issues (compatibility and/or missing features)

I mean, that's the whole biggest criticism of wayland, 15 years in and it still doesn't work (well?) with the biggest GPU brand. The criticism has always been about whether it is worth it to fragment linux land and throw away a few decades worth of work on X.

Re: Warpd: A modal keyboard-driven virtual pointer

#50

Post by justusw »

_chendo_ wrote: post #31
Luc wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This app is quality. I can tell you have been working on it for years. Why not charge for it?

Haha, thanks :) I did charge for it a couple of years ago, however I rebuilt the whole thing from scratch after a long hiatus and hadn't had bothered to reimplement licensing because the existing options all kinda suck, and figured I'd focus the time on features and usability first. I think with the modal mode in the next release will bring it much closer to a 1.0 release.

If you bundle it and release a paid for application on the App Store, I would totally buy it and even roll it out to my staff. The magic of the App Store allows you to do company wide roll-outs quite easily.
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