Ideas on modernizing the open-source desktop
3 hours ago
- Scott Jenson, a UX veteran from Apple and Google, calls on open-source projects to experiment beyond the traditional WIMP desktop model.
- Linux desktop UX has stagnated for 20 years, copying Windows and Mac, while Apple and Microsoft are no longer innovating.
- Jenson demonstrates prototypes: widescreen-centric layouts, a stash area that turns windows into widgets, and an improved clipboard with persistent collections.
- He advocates for capturing user working memory and intent over time, referencing prior art like Lifestreams and NEPOMUK.
- He addresses three pushbacks: mobile's dominance doesn't replace productivity, WIMP is not finished, and fear of change; he urges gradual growth.
- Jenson acknowledges AI but insists on solving UX for humans first, using ethically trained local models over frontier AI.