Hi! When i look at Apple Hardware Shop i find "Magic Mouse". This cheap mouse has a "surface", hat works like a touch screen, accepts multitouch, 2,3 finger gestures, pressure sensor (over widening fingercontactformsize, like ipad does) scrollwheel emulation, even replaces special 3D input devices, used for CAD.
In about one year from now there won't be any classic keyboard/mouse/screen hardware and software available, all OS for desktop will have complex finger/gesture/approach/video sensors tightly integrated into the os. My OS even puts a window in front, when i look at it, i don't even need to move my mouse over or even klick into that hidden window. Furthermore, new OS have received a "multiuseronedesktop" function, where a second, third and forth person might have their own input devices assigned, e.g. several programmers typing in one text window (simultaneous pair programming, no need to handover keyboard) or typing from above, e.g. on Microsofts new touch table, produced by Samsung. 4 Users sitting in front of a table, typing on touch or virtually assigned Bluetooth keyboard, turning windows to show each other. In a few years this will be standard even in schools, at work, in restaurants, people sitting, eating, playing chess or multiuser pong. As i could read, the Pharo chief designers have even removed the turn window angle functionality, that was implemented in squeak, WHY THAT??? Instead i would like to have virtually assigned touch keyboards to turnable windows. New touch tables go up to recognize 60 fingers at the same time. Approach sensors, gyro, video : My mobile has built in such thing. Pretty nice, my phone "sees itself approaching my ear", unlocking the microphone and speaker on incoming phone call. Thats built in in Android 4.0. Approach sensors trigger videoinput to recognize gestures or - like in newer HP and Lenovo notebooks activate powerdown state, when user leaves and reactivates, when user comes back. It can differ between "user reading" and "user absent". Thats already built in, becomes standard soon in all notebooks with windows 8. So far my report of "state of the art of software programming". feel inspired, Guido Stepken
