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Idea #2113: Zoomable User Interface (ZUI)

bug This idea is marked as being in development.
Written by ruipires the 1 Mar 08 at 10:47. Category: Look and Feel. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: In development
Rationale
Support for Zoomable User Interface (ZUI), as a different way of having virtual desktops.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zooming_User_Interface

This could be implemented as a compiz-fusion plugin.
Compiz-fusion already has a plugin for zooming in while still being able to use the input (mouse/keyboard), but none for zooming out. This would be extremely useful in low-res devices (the eeepc for example).

Having a way to "set zoom level to fit selected window" (maximize it) Would make this easier to use. Just zoom out, overview your virtual desktop and zoom in on what you want to work on next.

I don't mean this suggestion to be a duplicate of http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/388/ "Multitouch support and zoomable interface". That idea mixes two notions: multitouch and zoomable user interface. While both are a good idea multitouch support will be limited by hardware support and by Apple's patents on the subject.

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Developer comments
Some of this is already covered by the eZoom Compiz plugin, currently installed by default.

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votes
inprogress
Selected solution (#1): Auto-generated solution of idea #2113
Written by ruipires the 1 Mar 08 at 10:47.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #2113 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

Attachments
spec Blueprint compiz-mag: Ubuntu


Duplicates


Comments
Psycho_zs wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 18:28
how about this: http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/2215/
Unfortunately some conservatives voted it to subzero :(

Vadim P. wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 05:52
A Compiz plugin with a similar idea, called "shelf", is being worked on.

I believe this video showcases it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EpCLrC0tiPA

ruipires wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 10:07
Vadim P: Yes, the shelf plugin is very similar to what I propose here. I didn't know it yet, thanks.
It will be very useful to work with in lower resolution devices (assuming it supports input redirection).

I suppose implementing a zoom out for the whole desktop is harder, as it would imply having to change the notion of "maximize". I suppose that when maximizing a window the best behaviour would be to expand to the size of the desktop at 1.0 zoom (and take some care to keep the window aligned to the virtual-desktop grid)

Eldmannen wrote on the 12 Mar 08 at 23:24
Zoom exists in Compiz on 8.04 Hardy Heron.

kalmi wrote on the 15 Mar 08 at 23:03
@Eldmannen:
I think he meant to enable vector based GUIs to be zoomable (by compiz zoom plugin/by anything else).

Like... err... a Windows Presentation Foundation Applications in Windows can be zoomed in by magnifier.
http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2006/04/04/568648.aspx

I have already seen something like this implemented for compiz(not with GUI, but with video):
http://smspillaz.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/unlocking-the-full-video-potential-of -your-video-card/ (just look at picture and you will see what I mean)

Resolution-indepent GUI was supposed to go into Os X Leopard, but I believe that in the end they dropped it or I don't know what happened to it.
http://www.dustinmacdonald.com/blog/2006/05/one-feature-to-expect-in-leopard.ht ml

kalmi wrote on the 15 Mar 08 at 23:16
Sorry, read the post again...
My previous comment is pretty unreleated :s
But... hey... Resolution-indepent GUI is still a great idea.. :p

benswanson wrote on the 19 Mar 08 at 20:08
Good idea
use ctrl + scroll like macs

davim wrote on the 8 May 08 at 23:34
I think this should be more like the expo plugin but letting you interact with windows instead of just letting you move them...

young wrote on the 22 Dec 08 at 21:38
i like zooming in with compiz, it's very fast (better than using zoom in firefox) and useful. But this idea would take it to the next level. Workspaces are a good metaphor and are extremely helpful. But one thing that annoys me when switching to a different workspace is that I loose sight of the previous one. With a zooming desktop you can keep in sight applications you are currently working with, and simply pan and zoom in/out to where your task demands.

willh wrote on the 13 Jan 09 at 05:29
It's currently not possible to allow user interaction with transformed windows (i.e. so that downscaled windows will receive mouse input events properly). In order to do this, Compiz needs unofficial input redirection patches to make it into the X server codebase.

The ezoom plugin appears to "fake" this ability for zooming in by using some kind of hack. But afaik this won't work for a general ZUI. It seems like this idea will have to wait until input redirection support is officially available.


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