Monday
Oct122009
Adding Context to the Desktop
Monday, October 12, 2009 at 10:34PM
Here's a prototype I've created to show how the Mac desktop might be augmented with contextual information/images. I've been thinking about this for a while, but was inspired by the release of the Windows application, Fences. I'm using the desktop as a simple demo space, but in reality this information could be added to any spatial file/folder view. I look forward to your comments and ideas.
UPDATE: Rémy has pointed out the Mac app-in-development, Grape (thanks!). The developer has stated it's development is currently 'on hold', but it's stated plans are quite ambitious and would be something like a 2D combo of Fences and Bumptop.
Reader Comments (3)
The borders are alright, and would certainly aid productivity, but could probably be made a bit more visually noticeable. Maybe a torn off sheet of paper for work stuff and a course fabric "patch" for the garden.
The flowers and scrap bit of paper though, wow, nailed it. That kind of context would improve the desktop experience quite substantially.
I kind of like the idea of context (hereon "fence") the way you present it, but the OS would have to manage it for me if I'm to start using it. Let me explain.
Unfortunately, I'm quite a messy person: I just can't seem to be able to keep an ordered desktop, especially when there's an impending deadline or something that I need to quickly throw together. All the files I'm currently working on, wether important or not, wind up cluttering the desktop to an insane degree. Flat hierarchy, but without the hierarchy part.
Now, both OSes have part of the solution to my problem: Smart Folders on Mac OS X and Libraries on Windows 7. Both allow query creation, to tap the vast index of filesystem metadata. Applying that concept to your idea of fences, I would be able to setup a fence at the beginning of the day, say, for my Work fence to show only PHP files modified during the last 5 minutes and all of the PSD files created today. Since fences could be resized, I'd be able to let it fit a large part of the screen, thus bringing the familiarity of flat hierarchies, with the order of search.
All this functionality makes sense once you understand my workflow: I'm on a MacBook Pro, working in an app, but I need a specific file to complete the task. Right now, I have to open Spotlight, do a search, show Exposé and drag-drop the file to its destination.
With fences, I could do this: four finger swipe up, grab the file, four finger swipe down back into the app, drop the file. That would make the workflow more fluid, as I wouldn't have to squint at Exposé to try and figure out which of the 10 windows I need to get back to. (Oh, and I'd also need that arrow from Stacks that lets you open a stack in a full blown window, but would create a QuickLook Index Sheet of all the files in the fence instead. That is all, thank you :P )
@Joe, thanks for the comments. I totally agree that there could be a lot done to give a visual richness.
@Frizull Thanks for your extended thoughts! I really do like your idea of a smart dynamic 'fenced off' area — Smart Folder like, but without the constraints of an actual folder. The comments, images, notes and other markup information would be dynamic as well, so that they could fit into this.
I would add, a big part missing in the folder/desktop experience is the element of time, and I see a great opportunity to make systems where your untouched files and folders (with comfortable visual indicators) eventually will 'wash' into your Archive folder, etc.