Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › Computers and HTPC › Idea for next version of Windows: transparent windows
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Idea for next version of Windows: transparent windows

post #1 of 10
3/4/05 at 1:34pm
Thread Starter 
I'm not sure if this is aleady available in perhaps another OS, but I think a future version of Windows should utilize the use of transparent and fading windows. What I mean by this is that say for example you've got a few things open on your desktop, as often is the case. Whether it's internet browsers or file folder windows.

Instead of minimizing a window or moving it out of the way so you can access or view a window beneath the current one you're working with, when you move the mouse pointer over and towards another window the current window would turn transparent or slowly fade to a transparency.

I've made an animated .gif to illustrate how this might look:



Of course the user would have complete control over this ability. They could determine the amount of fade and transparency in the control panel or turn off the function altogether. It would take more processing power for this ability, but with new computers it shouldn't be an issue.

What do you guys think? or
Reply
post #2 of 10
3/4/05 at 2:51pm
You can already get third-party software to cause inactive windows to turn transparent. You can also do other things with transparent windows, like making a window turn transparent when it's being dragged.
Reply
post #3 of 10
3/4/05 at 4:15pm
Quote:
I'm not sure if this is aleady available in perhaps another OS, but I think a future version of Windows should utilize the use of transparent and fading windows.

You mean like the Dock in Mac OS X?

If you can find a Macintosh that's running Mac OS X 10.3 ("Panther"), you might want to play with Expose. (Put a bunch of windows up on the screen, press F9, and the Mac will instantly tile the windows, then bring to the front the one on which you click.)
Reply
post #4 of 10
3/4/05 at 9:28pm
i think you can do this with certain nvidia drivers/cards. maybe ati too, but i have no experience with those. a nifty idea, but i didnt use it much. i wouldnt be surprised to see some users latch on to it immediately, though.

CJ
Reply
post #5 of 10
3/10/05 at 8:24am
For the next thing they copy from Mac, I'd like them to copy the subtly animated wallpapers/backgrounds. Those looks incredible - they have ones of landscapes turning from season to season, or softly panning across the picture or zooming in. Very subtle and lovely.

They could also copy the "wheel" menu system, or at least make it an option.

Frankly I wish Mac would go out of business as a computer-maker, and just become the full time designers of the PC interfaces. Because they seem to have all the good ideas. And then it takes a while before Microsoft copies them.
Reply
post #6 of 10
3/10/05 at 8:45am
It is coming check out what Sun is working on

http://www.sun.com/software/looking_glass/ I have seen it in action and it is really sweet.
Reply
post #7 of 10
3/10/05 at 11:10am
As Todd said, it is coming with the next version of Windows, Longhorn. I've only seen screenshots (of the Longhorn version) but it looks very cool. A completely 3D desktop.


Will,
There are applications you can download that give you animated wallpaper. One that I can think of off hand is Dremples. Just google it. It is by the team that brought us Geiss.
Reply
post #8 of 10
3/10/05 at 1:30pm
They should remove all error references that are not stated in plain, understandable useful english (or user's choice of language) among other things
Reply
post #9 of 10
3/11/05 at 11:26am
No.

I move my mouse around when I'm thinking. I don't want all my windows dancing about, changing visibility as I work.

X-Window had similar feature a decade ago, where the window focus was based on where the mouse cursor was, not what window was on top. You could move the mouse point at , say, the text editor under your browser, start typing, and the editor would capture the text while staying below the browser.

The TweakUI tool for Win98 had this feature; I assume it's available in the XP version.

But having used this tool I found it both useful and annoying, and haven't used it in many years.
Reply
post #10 of 10
3/11/05 at 5:58pm
Longhorn for Mac OS is now reportedly due mid April.

Expect this "feature" in Longhorn for Windows in 3+ years when Microsoft has finished duplicating/innovating from Longhorn for Mac.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Computers and HTPC
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › Computers and HTPC › Idea for next version of Windows: transparent windows