
BumpTop gives Windows desktop a much-needed makeover - raju
http://venturebeat.com/2009/04/07/bumptop-gives-windows-desktop-a-much-needed-makeover/
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chime
I don't know. Research that tends to make computers more tactile and replicate
common real-world actions seem to completely ignore how typical users work on
computers. Not one of my fifty corporate users does anything fancy with their
files or folders. Most don't even switch from grid view to detail view unless
I do it for them. They delete by right-click 'delete' and will not be
comfortable lassoing and crumpling. Making neat piles is useless because they
have memorized the haphazardly arranged desktop icons and will freak out if
anyone arranges them (Ooops!).

Also, where are the file names? Who really opens files solely by their icons?
Most of my users have 1000s of PDFs or Excel files nested in multiple levels
of folders. How is the 'fan out widget' going to help them, especially if the
long file names can't be displayed neatly? The files most users (corporate or
even small business) deal with are something like:

    
    
      \\FileServer\PublicDrive\CONTROLLED DOCUMENTATION
          \Quality System Docs\OP - Operating Procedures
            \OP 12 R41 Cleaning of Tanks and Totes for Water-Based.pdf
    

The real-world unsolved problem is how does someone without much experience
get to the right file with minimal effort. The answer could be a number of
things like tagging, deep search, meta-info, file ranking based on usage etc.
The problem research like this concentrates on is "how do I manage my 4 excel
files, 12 mp3s, and 100 jpgs?" Yes, it's a wonderful app but it doesn't solve
one problem for today or tomorrow's users.

I thoroughly believe that we need to continue research into better UI, even
when the technology cannot be applied immediately. But I don't think making
already simple things more tedious or complex for the sake of coolness is the
way to go. Personally, I never see my desktop and barely have any icons on it
so I'd never use this. My users would get confused because they lasso'ed the
wrong file and now it's in a pile they can't find anymore.

~~~
pdubroy
If you don't see the filenames, then you're looking at an old demo version of
BumpTop. You're right that it's pretty important to have ;-)

BumpTop is definitely not for everyone, but that's fine. Not all software has
to be designed for your 50 corporate users, because they certainly have
different needs than the rest of us. A designer, for example, might really
appreciate the visual and spatial aspects of the system, because it's more
meaningful than a bunch of PSDs named icon-concept1, icon-concept2, etc.

Also, although the 3D and physics is the most noticeable thing about BumpTop,
it's actually got quite a few very useful features that are completely
orthogonal to the 3D/physical aspect. For example: type to find on filenames,
thumbnails of several different document formats, seamless photo browsing, and
icons that grow or shrink based on your usage of a document.

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JoelSutherland
I'm glad we've finally advanced to the point where computers can accurately
simulate the efficiency and usefulness of a messy desk.

I really can't see why this is needed. I thought we had entered the era of
search.

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laurent
Very cool stuff.

The world needs to think more about UI design. I like pdubroy's comments. All
these paradigms are much more intuitive, it'd be nice to see how new users (or
children) like it.

It'd be the greatest thing ever built if it also ran on *nix...

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dc2k08
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ODskdEPnQ>

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leetsheep
One word: awesome.

