CodeBase

Philip had been looking at some open source projects and ran across a command line console script.  He started to think about its simplicity as well as its capabilities.  He'd seen how other systems had utilized a command line user interface and consoles as well as using a GUI (Graphical User Interface, pronounced 'goo-eey').  Perhaps this interface could remove the desktop and replace it with a command line interface complete with a scrolling rich media log, and still utilize windows for some of the apps.  Philip thought for a moment.  'If the desktop were a command line interface and if there was a certain amount of integration, so as to allow certain files, documents and document elements, such as images and video, to display directly as an inline entry in the scrolling command line log, then you could do away with the idea of windows completely.'  The idea was basically a linear approach to computing, based on a timeline of events, that he could scroll through.  However, as he thought about it, it occurred to him that some files would still need to be opened in windows and windowed programs.  But, the upswing, as he saw it, was that he could use whatever programs he wanted as long as the runtimes existed to run the program on the machine.  He'd found a lot of good free and open source programs and even had a few that he'd started building himself.

He could see the scrolling log as useful during chats, whether it was with the artificial intelligence bot or the voice activated operating system or with an integrated chat and instant messenger client.  Philip contemplated IRC versus other chat networks and wondered why he had to limit himself to one or two networks.  Surely he could utilize all the given protocols, including peer to peer technologies. 

Philip envisioned the creation of a hybrid language that could incorporate a spectrum of different languages and elements.  He'd been thinking about this language and how to define it for several years now.  He had tons of code for it plastered on his walls, interface designs and even inspirational media in one giant collage that acted as the decoration that detracted from the mess that usually cluttered his apartment.

Most people who would visit would look at the code and just smile.  Some people asked about the different designs and ideas he'd grouped together carefully.  He created a flow chart of sorts by linking them in such a way as to lead the guest's eyes along the stream of thoughts, represented graphically and contextually, spreading in all directions, keeping the attention of many visitors for long periods of time, primarily on the first visit.  Along the walls there were also boxes of files filled with papers, drawings and clippings of related articles and such, with a sign above each box, describing the general topic of each box's contents.  The files in each box were also grouped by category and then alphabetically.  It was quite organized.  At least it worked for Philip's purposes.

His mind came back to thinking about the creation of windows over the command line interface and how they must be able to retain focus so that any voice commands would be specifically recognized by any given windowed program.  However, access to the global desktop command line interface must remain open at all times, while still allowing dynamic interaction with and between the parent and child elements.  This approach would allow for interaction with windowed programs without having to close, minimize or otherwise hide a program to communicate with the desktop interface or any of the programs that run in that space.

Ultimately, the interface needed to be clean and easily customizable.  There were some elements that would be a must though.  A task bar, menu or dock of some sort must be easily accessible, to keep track of any program windows or application processes that were running at any given time. 

He thought about its visibility though, in relation to a minimalistic interface.  Perhaps he could define hotspots, like the four corners of the screen, as well as the four screen edges, which would provide eight distinct options for actions.  One of the shells that Philip had used and experimented with on his old computer had four desktops that you could switch between by moving the mouse to the absolute top corners, revolving them left and right.  The bottom corners could pop up a program and/or command menu or even a taskbar, with currently running applications and processes.  The edges of the screen could have hidden panels that reveal themselves when the cursor collided with an edge as well.  Philip decided to leave that option open for possible development in the future, since he'd use a small popup in the bottom corner for the currently running processes and other programs.  He didn't like hitting the side and having a panel popup, while he was trying to scroll up or down in a maximized window.