As computers become more integrated with society and with each other, their importance in everyday life has grown substantially. The standard computer desktop model tries to emulate a physical desk and as such can get just as cluttered. A research project by Steven Voida of the University of Calgary and Elizabeth Mynatt and Keith Edwards of the Georgia Institute of Technology attempts to change the desktop model around specific activities.
Their model allows users to have as many virtual desktops as they currently have "activities". and they can easily switch between them. When they switch activities their desktop clears and is replaced with icons representing files associated with that project, their contact list changes to only show the contacts whom are working with the user on a project and the shared files section of the desktop shows files that are shared among all contacts.
Traditional models of multitasking look something like this:
In Windows, the taskbar gets cluttered with windows from obviously disparate tasks, while in Linux (Ubuntu shown) most distrubtions have virtual desktops that a user can switch between to organize windows. The model propsed by these researchers however brings this level of abstraction to new heights.Discussion:
This focused desktop environment is highly effective at organizing the ever increasing number of tasks that people are working with every day. The seamless integration of their models of organization with the operating system is also very important in producing and well formed desktop experience. I think that this technology will continue to evolve and will be eventually absorbed as an option in mainstream operating systems very soon. While casual, home users may benefit from the standard desktop model, the workplace environment is where this interface will shine.
Conclusion:
I want it.
These desktops they present sicken me. The only icon on my desktop is the recycle bin and that is the way I like it. The problem they are trying to solve seems more like a problem that needs to be solved by teaching people how to organize a file system and not by supporting the bad habit of putting a lot of stuff on their desktop, especially when a computer has endless files you can file all this stuff into. Also, all these collaboration features are cool, but they seems to intrusive to me. They shouldn't always be there. Of course, this is all my opinion and I respect that yours is different. Also, there is a good chance I need to look at the paper closer before I say all this, but I already said it.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a great idea. Though I agree that efforts could be made to make the features less obtrusive on the desktop, the idea is good. Having a single application that facilitates file sharing and communication between group members would be very useful in the workplace, as you noted. It takes the hassle out of trying to get 20+ different people to download and install 5 different programs to do the same thing when you're working in a group.
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