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Ah, Sun and their prototype user interfaces. How about Starfire (1993)? This was Bruce Tognazzini's big project. See how many modern UI elements you can pick

Ah, Sun and their prototype user interfaces. How about Starfire (1993)? This was Bruce Tognazzini's big project. See how many modern UI elements you can pick out of this concept video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKJNxgZyVo0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKJNxgZyVo0

bhauer 8y ago
I remember that and feel it still shows several elements we're missing today: 1. Very large form factor concave displays. (We're getting closer, but the HD era really slowed display innovation.) 2. Good gesture input. 3. Seamless integration of drafting/drawing surface and display. 4. Personal application omnipresence across all input devices (personally, I think this is the most significant element often seen in science fiction that is missing from modern computing.)
- mncharity 8y ago
  > 3. Seamless integration of drafting/drawing surface and display. A current analog is pairing an art display tablet with normal screens. But people arrange them variously, and not-infrequently on separate and movable arms. So seamless physical integration might not be the right thing. Another analog is the new Lenovo Yoga Book C930 (2-in-1 with keyboard replaced by an e-ink touch/pen screen).
mncharity 8y ago
It's easy to forget context. So here's the 1993 ground-breaking PowerBook[1] (640×400; not yet with optional color). And the Thinkpad 700C[2], with internal 3.5in floppy drive (not on a cable)! 2G and GSM are ariving, with flip phones.[3] And available next year, the first PDA-phone combo.[4] Tech moves very slowly, but if you live long enough, there is progress. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_100_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_100_series [2] http://oldcomputers.net/ibm-thinkpad.html http://oldcomputers.net/ibm-thinkpad.html [3] https://www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk/motorola/motorola_flip_phones.php https://www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk/motorola/motorola_flip_... [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Simon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Simon

bhauer 8y ago

I remember that and feel it still shows several elements we're missing today: 1. Very large form factor concave displays. (We're getting closer, but the HD era really slowed display innovation.) 2. Good gesture input. 3. Seamless integration of drafting/drawing surface and display. 4. Personal application omnipresence across all input devices (personally, I think this is the most significant element often seen in science fiction that is missing from modern computing.)

mncharity 8y ago
> 3. Seamless integration of drafting/drawing surface and display. A current analog is pairing an art display tablet with normal screens. But people arrange them variously, and not-infrequently on separate and movable arms. So seamless physical integration might not be the right thing. Another analog is the new Lenovo Yoga Book C930 (2-in-1 with keyboard replaced by an e-ink touch/pen screen).

mncharity 8y ago

It's easy to forget context. So here's the 1993 ground-breaking PowerBook[1] (640×400; not yet with optional color). And the Thinkpad 700C[2], with internal 3.5in floppy drive (not on a cable)! 2G and GSM are ariving, with flip phones.[3] And available next year, the first PDA-phone combo.[4] Tech moves very slowly, but if you live long enough, there is progress. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_100_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_100_series [2] http://oldcomputers.net/ibm-thinkpad.html http://oldcomputers.net/ibm-thinkpad.html [3] https://www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk/motorola/motorola_flip_phones.php https://www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk/motorola/motorola_flip_... [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Simon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Simon