Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

desktopneo.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 325 posts

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#171

Post by rakoo »

JupiterMoon wrote: post #67
grp wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case, for the tag-based filesystem, there are tmsu [1]. I will try it soon with ranger [2], I think managing tags with it won't be a problem as you can call the shell where you want. [1] http://tmsu.org/ [2] http://ranger.nongnu.org/

Looks great but what happens when you move files from one system to another? Can one keep the tags?

It looks like it's "hard" to do correctly, so TMSU doesn't do any magic but will try it's best through the "repair" command:

https://github.com/oniony/TMSU/wiki/FAQ#why-does-tmsu-not-de...

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#173

Post by bobwaycott »

First impression:

Conceptually, I'm really liking the approach. I could see it being a viable refreshing of desktop paradigms. There is an interesting mix of OS X, Windows, Linux WMs, and some other goodies from other apps here.

Visually, the biggest drawback is I could not tell while watching the video which panel has focus. I am assuming the idea is this would be handled by tracking eye focus. Perhaps I could get used to that, but it'd have to be instantaneous switching. As I'm typing this in a half-width browser window that takes up all vertical space, I have the Desktop Neo site in another half-width browser window taking up full vertical space by its side. I'm bouncing my eyes back and forth between the site and this textbox I'm typing in. I'm currently staring at the Neo site while I'm typing, without any looking back. Such a desktop paradigm would have to remain very intelligent about recognizing that I'm currently typing in a panel while looking at, and perhaps scrolling through another panel, without wanting my current action to lose focus or be interrupted in any way. I work this way all the time.

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#174

Post by [deleted] »

rsync wrote: post #141
drzaiusapelord wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>t's unfortunate that desktop UI has remained stuck for quite awhile A lot of things get "stuck" and for good reason. Steering wheel, gas, and brake. Sight, trigger, stock. Underwear, pants, socks, etc. Personally, I think the NT team really nailed the concept of the desktop back in 1993 with 3.1. The start button which hid programs and allowed access to other functions was incredibly handy, a bit like how a desk has…

"Personally, I think the NT team really nailed the concept of the desktop back in 1993 with 3.1. The start button which hid programs and allowed access to other functions was incredibly handy, a bit like how a desk has a desk drawer within reach at all times." One of us is remembering things incorrectly ... I am quite certain that the start menu interface debuted with Windows 95 and was then later adopted by Windows…

[deleted]

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#175

Post by wodenokoto »

wang_li wrote: post #76
falcolas wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, it's also a good, cohesive amalgamation of UI interaction concepts as well. If someone did realize this design, I'd be on-board for trying it out.

I wouldn't. It seems like a very Apple style of interaction, which emphasizes that you are interacting with an Apple UI. By which I mean to say, using a Mac or an iPhone is at least 50% about using a Mac or an iPhone, and maybe 50% about doing whatever it is you are trying to do. In an ideal world, you shouldn't be thinking about the tool.

I thought it was much more metro than iOS.

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#176

Post by ziburski »

JimRoepcke wrote: post #169

At 1:00 of the video, he says "In my document I want to make a sentence bold, so I just select it, and then just click..." But he doesn't explain HOW he selected the text. Since there's no mouse cursor, I have no idea how he just did that. A glance doesn't seem to be sufficient since it requires movement and intent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=71&v=9WZVPM-zZWM

You are right. I left that out of the video to focus on the more interesting features. There is a small note on the website about how text selection could work with gaze and touch:

---

Text Selection

Place one finger on the touchpad to adjust a cursor at the gaze position. Use a second finger to set the end of the selection.

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#177

Post by ByronicHero »

dangrossman wrote: post #47

It seems like a lot of people skimmed without reading the top or bottom of this site: It's not a company. It's not a product. You're not being asked to buy it or buy into it, just to discuss the concept if you'd like. This website is a portfolio piece for a 21-year-old university student hoping to find an internship. In my opinion, it's an impressive demonstration of his design and technical skills. It certainly says…

He also knocked marketing out of the park.

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#178

Post by SonicSoul »

GuiA wrote: post #73
dangrossman wrote: post #47

It seems like a lot of people skimmed without reading the top or bottom of this site: It's not a company. It's not a product. You're not being asked to buy it or buy into it, just to discuss the concept if you'd like. This website is a portfolio piece for a 21-year-old university student hoping to find an internship. In my opinion, it's an impressive demonstration of his design and technical skills. It certainly says…

I work at a company where we hire people for exactly that kind of gig, with a heavy focus on building prototypes of your designs that are actually usable because that's the only viable way to design interfaces. Here's feedback as to why I'm not sending this website to my studio lead to schedule a phone screen with the designer: 1) reused assets from other companies (big no no, even for just a mockup) that are inconsi…

would be funny if this guy became the next Jonathan Ive so we could see this feedback in a different light 10 years from now.

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#179

Post by munchbunny »

ziburski wrote: post #40
tomc1985 wrote: post #12

The problem with the tablet analogy is nobody seems to know how to design complex, professional-level (like Photoshop, or Blender) applications in that paradigm. Tablet apps are overwhelmingly consumption-oriented, and those that aren't all seem to be oriented around popular (and populist) appeal. Why is everyone out for the blood of the desktop/windows paradigm? Why can't the simplified-tablet market and the desktop…

This is exactly the idea of Desktop Neo. If tablets and phones are used for consumption, the desktop can be focused on productivity. I don't want to replace the complexity of the desktop with interfaces that are easier. I want them to be better, to be more efficient for professionals. Concepts like panels, tags and touch input are probably way harder to understand than windows, folders and mouse input. But it doesn’t…

As a developer, I unfortunately have to live in a fundamentally different paradigm where file systems are inescapable (unless OSes change dramatically under the hood), keyboards are essential, etc. etc.

But when I'm not trying to write code I can see this working.

Re: Desktop Neo – rethinking the desktop interface for productivity

#180

Post by webkike »

GuiA wrote: post #153
ctstover wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course design people* don't like good concept art for a tiling wm. It's not "modern", emphasizes work instead pointless high rez stock photos, and acknowledges the desktop. *not all design people, just a certain flavor

1. I'm actually a big fan of tiling WMs, I use xmonad on my personal archlinux laptop. 2. "concept art" for a tiling wm makes no sense, because as you point out, it is first and foremost something that is work focused. This is why you build functional prototypes.

I see you're also a big fan of numbered lists.

Concept art for a tiling window manager certainly does make sense. Especially if you want to define the appearance of one.

Post reply on HN