ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 3, 1997 TAG: 9704030048
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COMPUTER BITS
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
Just as desks get cluttered, so do desktops. But here come researchers in the University of Maryland's Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory to the rescue.
The Marylanders have found new ways to look at the computer desktop that they believe will change our ways forever.
They've developed "Elastic Windows" that allow a user to have multiple windows open and active and joined like floor tiles.
Enlarge one window, and another shrinks but stays open and active. "Elastic" means that data can be moved more easily among windows than can be done now.
Whizzes in the Human-Computer lab also have created something called "TreeViz," which allows you to see contents of the hard drive as a single picture and makes it easier to toss duplicate files.
The academic brains are furiously creating what the Chronicle of Higher Education refers to in its April 4 edition as "new metaphors for organizing data."
In addition to the University of Maryland efforts, the article discusses Yale University's "Lifestreams" creation, which organizes everything on the hard drive according to when it was created or altered so a user can search chronologically.
The Chronicle article also explains "Pad++," graphical navigation tools that give the user a pilot's view of the hard disk. The University of New Mexico and New York University researchers get credit for this.
CD-ROM Mozart, et al
A new Mozart CD, for Mac and IBM compatibles, has been created by Robert Winter, a University of California music professor. It includes a recording of "String Quartet in C Major" and a discussion about music between Winter and the Angeles Quartet members.
The CD-ROM sells for about $50, but Voyager Co., which produced the Mozart item, also has lower-cost products.
For $5, you can own some complete and unaltered versions of the hard-cover editions of well-known books, such as Herman Melville's "Moby Dick." That way, you can read via laptop as you travel and not have to carry a weighty tome.
Now, some of us think "Moby Dick" is too overwhelming to carry, even on a disk. But other choices include Eudora Welty short stories.
The book software also allows you to underline text and make notations as though you were reading the book. Could be useful for instructors and students.
Keep up with Net policy
If you're interested in reading what policy-makers are thinking about Internet commerce, check out a Web site devoted to the issue. The site lists principles by which the government will build its Internet policy and invites your comments.
Go visit and say something. At least read some of the international correspondence to the site. See what the Finnish and Chinese visitors have said.
Elastic Windows
http://www.cs.umd.edu/projects/hcil/Research/projects.html/
Lifestreams
http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/freeman/lifestreams.html/
Pad++
http://www.cs.unm.edu/pad++/
CD-ROM books
http://www.voyagerco.com/
Government policy
http://www.iitf.nist.gov/electronic-commerce.htm
You can contribute to this column or just comment by e-mail to sandrakxc2roanoke.com or by calling 981-3393 or 981-3237 in the Roanoke Valley, or (800) 346-1234, ext. 393, outside the Roanoke area. Previous Computer Bits columns can be found on line at http://www.roanoke.com
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