Comments on: In search of stream-based desktop metaphors http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/ Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:49:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30293 Cyde Weys Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:53:22 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30293 "Important processes can be instantiated as more powerful monsters. They can then defend themselves against inexperienced sysadmins." Hehehehe. I've seen that Doom system administration game before, but it never gets old. “Important processes can be instantiated as more powerful monsters. They can then defend themselves against inexperienced sysadmins.”

Hehehehe. I’ve seen that Doom system administration game before, but it never gets old.

]]> By: drinian http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30289 drinian Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:24:09 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30289 For some reason I'm reminded of <a href="http://www.cs.unm.edu/~dlchao/flake/doom/" rel="nofollow">Doom as a tool for system administration</a>.... For some reason I’m reminded of Doom as a tool for system administration….

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30275 Cyde Weys Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:24:34 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30275 Oh my God, a desktop looking like Guitar Hero would be the awesomest thing ever. Oh my God, a desktop looking like Guitar Hero would be the awesomest thing ever.

]]> By: drinian http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30266 drinian Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:51:23 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30266 Yes, generic desktop alerters like this already exist. I'm still not sure what the problem is that you're trying to solve. I certainly work with documents quite a bit; I don't need my desktop to look like Guitar Hero. And as many studies and personal experience confirm, multitasking is increasingly detrimental to getting work done. Yes, generic desktop alerters like this already exist. I’m still not sure what the problem is that you’re trying to solve. I certainly work with documents quite a bit; I don’t need my desktop to look like Guitar Hero.

And as many studies and personal experience confirm, multitasking is increasingly detrimental to getting work done.

]]> By: Kelly Martin http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30251 Kelly Martin Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:18:48 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30251 Also, I'd say that we already have systems like this. They're called "operational monitors" and are all over the place in systems and network administration. Mainly use SNMP. Just never been scaled down to the desktop. Also, I’d say that we already have systems like this. They’re called “operational monitors” and are all over the place in systems and network administration. Mainly use SNMP. Just never been scaled down to the desktop.

]]> By: Kelly Martin http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30250 Kelly Martin Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:17:40 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30250 Write the desktop alerter, publish an API for it, and convince people to use it. End of problem. Write the desktop alerter, publish an API for it, and convince people to use it. End of problem.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30248 Cyde Weys Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:48:33 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30248 Absolutely, there would be configurable priority levels and such. And I don't see any reason why it can't be done well. People haven't even been trying that hard because we're locked into the current metaphor so tightly. Absolutely, there would be configurable priority levels and such. And I don’t see any reason why it can’t be done well. People haven’t even been trying that hard because we’re locked into the current metaphor so tightly.

]]> By: Kelly Martin http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30243 Kelly Martin Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:46:14 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30243 So what you really want is some sort of event aggregator? The problem is that different streams have different "chunkiness", ranging from high-priority low-frequency events (NWS weather alerts), to low-priority high-frequency events (IRC public channel traffic) to continuous activity (audio and video streams, system instrumentation monitors, etc). It's hard to come up with a paradigm that suits all of these well. I daresay that you want your computer to be more aggressive at alerting you to, say, a fire in the server room, than you would for some random idiot talking on that IRC channel that you aren't that interested in anyway. So what you really want is some sort of event aggregator? The problem is that different streams have different “chunkiness”, ranging from high-priority low-frequency events (NWS weather alerts), to low-priority high-frequency events (IRC public channel traffic) to continuous activity (audio and video streams, system instrumentation monitors, etc). It’s hard to come up with a paradigm that suits all of these well. I daresay that you want your computer to be more aggressive at alerting you to, say, a fire in the server room, than you would for some random idiot talking on that IRC channel that you aren’t that interested in anyway.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30241 Cyde Weys Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:37:30 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30241 drinian: We're not talking about just web streams, but <i>all</i> streams. Most of the streams you run across from a desktop perspective aren't web-based. RSS as a technology doesn't make sense for most of the streams I deal with — like, say, a steadily incoming instant message conversation. drinian: We’re not talking about just web streams, but all streams. Most of the streams you run across from a desktop perspective aren’t web-based. RSS as a technology doesn’t make sense for most of the streams I deal with — like, say, a steadily incoming instant message conversation.

]]> By: William (green) http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30226 William (green) Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:36:01 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30226 RSS is still a document. He's not looking for a file type, but a metaphor. The "windows" on a computer are another example of a metaphor when used in reference to computers. "Desktop" is another. RSS is still a document. He’s not looking for a file type, but a metaphor.
The “windows” on a computer are another example of a metaphor when used in reference to computers. “Desktop” is another.

]]> By: drinian http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/26/in-search-of-stream-based-desktop-metaphors/comment-page-1/#comment-30223 drinian Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:17:12 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=842#comment-30223 What, like RSS? What, like RSS?

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