Return to the archive index

Re: wearables: interfaces, functions...

From: Victor Alexander Debuque <>
Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 11:56:27 +1100

Hi Carol,

> It puzzles me why so many wear-hard folks want the context-sensitive, 
> wearable-specific software to be part of the OS for a wearable. Why 
> shouldn't that be (modular, usable-on-demand) software? What is the 
> advantage to having it in the OS (as opposed to having the machine 
> support instant-on or re-loading, like an older laptop's resume 
> function)?

The point is not whether the wearable UI is part of the OS or not. The 
point is that the desktop metaphor (i.e. the so-called WIMP interface - 
Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer) doesn't match the ergonomics of the 
wearable paradigm. True, you can run software on top of the desktop and 
hide it, but on a wearable that just means you have an extra layer of 
software that you don't need, wasting valuable resources. What we need 
is something to replace the desktop that facilitates usability for 
wearables.

> Another question: It occurs to me that wearables might be always-on 
> devices (or at least, that's an option I might want). So do we plug 
> them in overnight to reload their batteries, but they're in standby 
> mode (in order to take phone calls, etc.)? Or just let our network 
> ISP/Web host store our calls, etc., until we ourselves wake up and 
> "wake up" our wearable?

I would think it's a matter of personal preference - no reason why you 
couldn't choose between both options depending on your needs or on how 
you're feeling that particular day. Personally, I wouldn't mind either 
of the alternatives you mentioned.

Not directly related -- it would be nice if they could be recharged 
wirelessly. Anyone know if such technology is anywhere near becoming 
feasible?

> Finally, I do NOT want my primary data store to be on any network, 
> unless by "primary data store" you mean things like all the works of 
> Shakespeare and maps and other raw data already (pretty much) on the 
> Web. Any information I have massaged or created (including papers 
> ABOUT said works of Shakespeare, etc.) I want stored locally, for too 
> many reasons to mention. (Your faith in your government's respect for 
> your privacy is touching, but naive. They've been after mere library 
> reading records for years, and used the terrorist attack on WTC & 
> Pentagon to get that far.)

Believe me, I have no faith whatsoever in any government's or 
corporation's respect for individual privacy. I was thinking more of a 
secure data server based at home or at the office, to which you can 
have access over the network. As Robin mentioned, you can connect over 
SSH -- no need to let someone else act as gatekeeper to your private 
data.

Victor

--
Subscription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with subject of
"subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" to 
Wear-Hard Mailing List Archive (searchable): http://wearables.blu.org
Please, *PLEASE* don't subscribe through a forward/expander/false domain

+Previous Message in Thread | Next Message in Thread

From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH)
Maintained by R. Paul McCarty

Archive created with babymail