Thanks to Christophe-Marie, who sent me a link of a very interesting video of a UI concept where the mouse is no longer relevant. Instead, multi-finger touch is used, with quite natural gestures.

Here’s the 10/GUI video by C. Miller.

Why do I like it?

Basically, I agree with Mr. Miller’s points and motivations. I don’t like the mouse either so much, anymore. Mouse is fine and good just like a steam engine train is fine and good: it works, but technology has progressed far enough to provide better alternatives.

In 10/GUI, the Xeroxian UI paradigm of overlapping rectangular windows is radically transformed into application windows residing in a non-overlapping smooth continuum.

The clutter of a desktop is dramatically reduced. Reduced clutter means more efficiency, more time in the zone, and more stuff done.

To paraphrase Mr. Weiser when he talked about ubiquitous computing: technology will fade into the background, will not jump at your face, will not demand constant attention, but just lets you do your stuff. And meanwhile, everything is calm – and you’re staying in the zone.

Now, if only the 10/GUI could somehow combine the keyboard with the touch-part, or have an onscreen predictive keyboard and no physical keyboard at all…