Another place where modern interface
systems are too
restricted is in
the realm of input device abstractions. The cursor has ruled
the computing landscape for over 2 decades. Because the single
mouse
cursor has been so integral to two dimensional interfaces it
has prevented new and potentially more efficient interfaces from
attempting to break ground in mainstream apps. New input devices
such as
motion gloves and head trackers need abstractions that are more suited
than the
2D cursor such as input clouds or multiple cursor
groups.
Vision's input abstraction and event
system is built to
be generalized and even input device agnostic. Neither the type
nor the
number of interface abstractions are limited in Vision.
Programmers can even create their own interface abstractions custom to
their situations or input hardware. Vision's system also allows
for a
very versatile backwards compatibility system so that state of the art
input devices are fully taken advantage of but not required in a
program. For example, the traditional cursor input abstraction
might be be suited to a device like a mouse but suppose that the mouse
is unplugged. At that point the cursor abstraction would search
for the next
best device (if there are no more connected mice) to control it with,
which might be a keyboard or
gamepad. If a better suited device like a mouse is then plugged
back in, then the cursor will automatically upgrade itself to the
mouse. All the while the application program has no idea what has
happened because it has always gotten all of its input from the same
cursor abstraction.
Another place where modern interface systems are too restricted is in the realm of input device abstractions. The cursor has ruled the computing landscape for over 2 decades. Because the single mouse cursor has been so integral to two dimensional interfaces it has prevented new and potentially more efficient interfaces from attempting to break ground in mainstream apps. New input devices such as motion gloves and head trackers need abstractions that are more suited than the 2D cursor such as input clouds or multiple cursor groups.
Vision's input abstraction and event system is built to be generalized and even input device agnostic. Neither the type nor the number of interface abstractions are limited in Vision. Programmers can even create their own interface abstractions custom to their situations or input hardware. Vision's system also allows for a very versatile backwards compatibility system so that state of the art input devices are fully taken advantage of but not required in a program. For example, the traditional cursor input abstraction might be be suited to a device like a mouse but suppose that the mouse is unplugged. At that point the cursor abstraction would search for the next best device (if there are no more connected mice) to control it with, which might be a keyboard or gamepad. If a better suited device like a mouse is then plugged back in, then the cursor will automatically upgrade itself to the mouse. All the while the application program has no idea what has happened because it has always gotten all of its input from the same cursor abstraction.