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I think it can be hard for us (people who get a lot of screen time, spend a lot of time coding in 2D) to imagine that the "desktop" paradigm is already dead. Mo

by drvdevd 10y ago

I think it can be hard for us (people who get a lot of screen time, spend a lot of time coding in 2D) to imagine that the "desktop" paradigm is already dead. Mobile/voice/AR is killing it. Granted the desktop UI metaphor will probably never die, just like the command line hasn't. But the front-and-center desktop is fading away...

creshal 10y ago
I'm not so sure. If you took a drink every time you read "sorry for the short answer, I'm on mobile, I will edit it when I'm back on a real computer" on HN or reddit, your liver would die faster than Windows Phone. There's still a place for devices with lots of screen space and real input devices, and not just in the IT community (unlike with command line interfaces).
- drvdevd 10y ago
  I suppose I'm hoping for a point in the near future where AR/VR type glasses (or something like that) can be used with high enough fidelity and resolution to replace my desktop, physically. Coupled with virtualization and a good keyboard, I think the PC form factor could be fully obviated.
  - skykooler 10y ago
    Waiting for Apple or someone to introduce "Retina VR"? The issue is, if you double the pixel density you quadruple the amount of work on the GPU. Few current graphics cards would be able to smoothly render content that high-res, yet.
    - creshal 10y ago
      Even if they were (2D rendering isn't that bad), we'd struggle to transmit it (neither HDMI nor DisplayPort could handle 16K or whatever we need for crisp enough VR rendering).
- beagle3 10y ago
  Command line interfaces are making a comeback. They are called "bots" for some weird reason, and all I've used so far are remote -- but it's still a cli.
cm2187 10y ago
I don't think much work is done or will be done on mobile. For consumers perhaps. As soon as you need to do anything serious with a spreadsheet or code, you can forget the mobile. It's not a iOS vs Windows functionality thing. It's a form factor problem.
flukus 10y ago
Mobile yes, but virtually no one uses voice commands once the novelty wears off (same as in the 90's) and AR is still incredibly niche.

by drvdevd 10y ago

creshal 10y ago

I'm not so sure. If you took a drink every time you read "sorry for the short answer, I'm on mobile, I will edit it when I'm back on a real computer" on HN or reddit, your liver would die faster than Windows Phone. There's still a place for devices with lots of screen space and real input devices, and not just in the IT community (unlike with command line interfaces).

drvdevd 10y ago
I suppose I'm hoping for a point in the near future where AR/VR type glasses (or something like that) can be used with high enough fidelity and resolution to replace my desktop, physically. Coupled with virtualization and a good keyboard, I think the PC form factor could be fully obviated.
- skykooler 10y ago
  Waiting for Apple or someone to introduce "Retina VR"? The issue is, if you double the pixel density you quadruple the amount of work on the GPU. Few current graphics cards would be able to smoothly render content that high-res, yet.
  - creshal 10y ago
    Even if they were (2D rendering isn't that bad), we'd struggle to transmit it (neither HDMI nor DisplayPort could handle 16K or whatever we need for crisp enough VR rendering).
beagle3 10y ago
Command line interfaces are making a comeback. They are called "bots" for some weird reason, and all I've used so far are remote -- but it's still a cli.

cm2187 10y ago

I don't think much work is done or will be done on mobile. For consumers perhaps. As soon as you need to do anything serious with a spreadsheet or code, you can forget the mobile. It's not a iOS vs Windows functionality thing. It's a form factor problem.

flukus 10y ago

Mobile yes, but virtually no one uses voice commands once the novelty wears off (same as in the 90's) and AR is still incredibly niche.