[AccessD] Windows 8

Stuart,

  I would agree to your points to a certain extent, but the main point with
touch screen interfaces is that they are variable, which is a very powerful
thing.

  Like your current keyboard layout?  If not to bad, your stuck with it.
Not so with a keyboard simulated on a touch screen.

  I'd also throw in the old saying "Today's science fiction is tomorrow's
fact".   Watch an episode of the original Star Trek; everything is buttons.
Now watch one of Star Trek Next Generation; everything is soft; consoles,
hall displays, etc.  There's not a real button anywhere.  I don't doubt it
will be long before we are living like that.  Everything will be touch.

  Now take a look at the reality side; the aviation industry for example.
Just about everything in aircraft avionics uses HUD's and multi-function
displays (which have physical buttons, but they are "soft" in that their
function changes based on the display).   And of course we can see where
consumer electronics is going.

  When you come right down to it, what's the difference between typing on a
keyboard and touching a display?  Really none (you push something with your
finger).

  Something that would showcase that quite nicely is terminal emulation.  I
need to remember that the "DO" key on a VAX is one combination under this
emulation, another under this emulation, and different under a third.   And
not all physical numeric keypads have the same layout, which is really
important in the VAX world.  I would much rather see and use a virtual
keyboard on a touch screen.

  Take a look at the original Tron movie sometime; virtual touch keyboard
built into the desktop.

  As far as pixel precision, it's really a matter of scaling, but do you
really need that?  No.  In fact most people slow their mice down and only
worry about getting into the general area of where they need to be and not
getting to a specific pixel.  Just consider command buttons; I bet you make
them larger then the text they display; why is that?

Jim.

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart McLachlan
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 08:09 PM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Windows 8

What do you mean by "working with" virutal documents.

If you mean creating/editing documents, give me a decent keyboard and the
fine resolution of 
a mouse pointer or stylus please.   How do you get anywhere near pixel
precision with a 
fingertip?


On 29 Nov 2011 at 4:25, Salakhetdinov Shamil wrote:

> Darryl --
> 
> Working with "virtual documents" by hands - two hands - on multi-touch
> displays is no doubt more ergonomic and intuitive than using mouse...
> The next logical step are "virtual desktops" - horizontally mounted
> displays, "virtual blackboards" with "virtual keyboards" etc. - that's
> another technological revolution of the ways of communicating with
> computers by using a broad range of both hands gestures and voice... 
> 
> The next should probably be "virtual holographic displays" and 3D
communication with them...
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> -- Shamil 
> 


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