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What are
Vidi windows technically
Technically
it is a
normal
windows
program,
running on
MS .NET
platform and
calling-on
normal
window
functions
for
handling
windows
which are
already
provided by
the
operating
system.
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Why
are Vidi
windows a non-intrusive GUI solution?
Their use is
not
exclusive –
you can use
them at
whichever
level you
like.
They
leave your
existing
windows as
they are and
where they
are.
You
do not need
to change
your habits
when using
them. You
can
switch Vidi
windows
OFF
or ON
partially or
fully,
at anytime.
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Can I
manage Vidi windows in the same way as conventional
windows?
Yes. The
main
interactions
(moving,
switching
between,
closing,
opening...)
remain the
same. New
functions –
setting the
visibilities
of
particular
elements –
are
preformed
using the
right-side
(until
now unused)
mouse
button.
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Does
installing the changes affect my core window's system – is
there any danger to my system?
Vidi windows consists of two programs as usual, and does not change, replace or alter any of your system files or settings. These two programs just use the existing and installed functions in a smart manner, in order to deal with windows, already provided by the operating system.
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Can I
mix between conventional and Vidi windows
Yes,
in many
of cases,
this is the
most
effective
working
environment.
You can,
for
examples
use your
main window
as
background
and
simultaneously
using some
upper
Vidi windows
as sources
for
auxiliary
information.
-
Can I use
windows the same way as before installing Vidi
windows
The use of
Vidi windows
does not
cause
conflict
concerning
usage habits
when
switching
between
conventional
and Vidi
windows.
There are
minor
changes to
the
interaction,
which are
easy to
understand,
to learn,
and
to accept.
Why? –
Because the
interaction
model is now
structured
on two
levels and
thus able to
implement
more
functionalities.
The first
interaction
level is
simpler
than
in the
conventional
case and is
set as
default for Vidi windows
upon their
creation. So
your Vidi
windows are,
by default,
simpler
to manage
than the
conventional.
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Isn't the
control frame confusing for users?
No. When you
double click
on the Vidi
window
borders, the
control
frame is
shown and
you can
perform
additional –
non-basic
functions on
your Vidi
window.
Switching
the control-frame
ON, does
not affect
any of the
basic
interactions
with the Vidi window
and you
could keep
working with
the frame as
though
nothing had
happened.
Using
the
control-
frame,
Vidi windows
are actually
visually and
functionally
more
alike
to the
conventional
windows,
for
which the
window
borders
and
their frames
are single
interaction
objects.
Managing two
objects,
instead of
one single,
is indeed
more
complex but
the control-frame is
switched
ON/OFF by
the double
click on the Vidi borders
on demand
(supposing)
by more
demanding
users. Those
users who
prefer
simplicity,
simply do
not need
to
double-click
on the Vidi
borders.
Why? -
Double click
on the Vidi
borders is
not provided
by conventional
windows, so
this
interaction
cannot be
easily
and
unintentionally
accessible
to users,
who prefer
simplicity.
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Why can't
I resize Vidi as simply as conventional
window
-
Why
do I
need to switch the control-frame
ON when I need to
change some window properties (such
as size for example)
Observing
the usage of
windows, it
was realized
and supposed
that moving
window
on the
display is,
on average
more
frequently
used than
resizing. This
is
especially
true, when
windows are
of
smaller size
(or
the
display
is larger).
Conventional
windows can
be moved by
dragging the
title and a
huge area of
the
window
borders is
reserved
for
resizing
them. This
is
the
reason
for
giving
resizing
less
priority and
enhancing
the priority
of moving
the window.
The richness of
the window
moving
interaction
has
also
been
increased
by the
possibility
of
changing
the borders
size. You
are thus,
on
average,
more
effective,
than
using just
conventional
windows for
all
usage
cases.
Remark: Users resize theirs
windows,
on average,
less frequently
than switching
between small and full size windows. This habit is
preserved completely in Vidi windows.
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Isn't the
setup-overhead too complex to justify it?
Set-up
overhead is
minor and
can be
performed in
a second.
All
you
need to
setup a Vidi
window is
the
selection
of
a conventional
window
view
and
acknowledging
it.
A very
understandable
metaphor of
scissors has
been used
for this
interaction
and can
easy be
understood,
even
by less
demanding
users.
After switching view back to
full, the settings are automatically saved as default desktop items (or others- specified by
you), and you can restore your Vidi view
to what
it was
before, within a second, even when the program (or
web-site) is not opened at
the time of restoration. You don't need to remember,
which program has created your view, which address
or command arguments was needed to create your view and
where on the desktop and within a document,
website...or wherever...,
and which appearance has
been used to show
your view. Moreover! You don't even need to know
about this »stuff« of programs, documents,
applications, sites or whatever. Instead you are, in
this case, less interrupted by managing and acquiring
your views, which are part of your existing and
possibly your future experiences. This approach
helps you by knowledge-management of the
experiences with those
particular views which you
consider as reusable for actual and future tasks.
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Aren't
the switching modes between 'symbol-head-body'
confusing?
Perhaps
yes
initially. The
ability to
switch
the
mentioned
window's
elements
visibly/invisibly
however, is
one of the
crucial
improvements
regarding
windows.
This ability
is
implemented
using
the
right-side
mouse
click (or
right-double
click) on
the
appropriate
window
element and
would
be hard for
users who
prefer
windows as
usual
to
unintentionally
access it. The
underlying
metaphor,
however,
could easily
be
understood
and
broadly
accepted not
only by those
users
preferring
simplicity,
but by
more-demanding
users as
well.
Two sentence metaphorical
descriptions:
we all
use
our symbol(s), head
and the body to accomplish
a
particular task. The head
and/or body could disappear from the desktop
and the symbol could be
transformed to a desktop icon or back to the symbol.
The way people accomplish his
task most efficiently and
naturally
in a non-computer world , has been replicated
by the Vidi window
composition. Using this technique, you gain better
perception and less interruptions, because your
windows do not always jump into the taskbar and back
to the desktop. Instead they always
stays
ready-to-go at the place you need to
work with them. This way,
a particular
window can be maintained, not only within well-known
taskbars, sidebars and so on, but also direct on the
desktop, directly at the place you need to
work with it. Conventional window management within
a taskbar or tool-box does not conflict either
functionally or interactional with this technique.
The seeds of such
an approach are already
being proven on the
market by some research and commercial products,
thus
validating this thesis.
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What is
the main benefit of Vidi over conventional
windows
Usage of
a
distributed
window
concept,
and
ease
when
handling and
visualising
your focus
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Aren't
smaller windows on the
display harder to maintain than
almost full-sized windows using a taskbar?
Yes indeed.
You should
use as many
windows as
are
convenient
for your
current
task. To
help manage
a group of
windows,
window
String-manager
will
be
available in
the
near future.
This
String
manager
introduces
'group-management'
of windows
and makes
the
handling of
a
larger
numbers of
windows more
manageable.
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Do I need
to learn new things to start using Vidi windows
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Should I
start using all Vidi features to obtain benefits?
All you need to
learn at the
beginning
is
how to
create a Vidi window
from
a
conventional
window,
which is
quite
a
simple
affair. All
other
interactions
correspond
with
conventional
windows.
After you
become
more and
more
familiar
with the
concept, you
can
begin
using more
and more
of
the
functionalities
provided.
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Should I
use many Vidi’s to gain more benefits from it?
Actually
the
use
of one
single Vidi
window
is
rewarding in
itself but
there is no
limit
on
whether
many
windows is
better or
worse.
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Why and
where are Vidi windows more effective
Using
Vidi windows
pays-off
within
the scenery
where the
screen space
is larger
and the main
window do
not occupies
the whole
display
surface. The
remaining
space
could
be used to
show
auxiliary
windows,
which
logically
belong to
the task.
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Why
should I have freeform windows
Freeform
windows are
a built-in
feature,
which can
be used
when needed.
Once
created,
freeform and
rectangular
window mode
switching
can be
performed.
This feature
is useful,
for example,
when using
GIS
(Geographical
Information
System)
programs in
conjunction
with other
auxiliary
windows. It
is
convenient
for
keeping
these
auxiliary
windows
as
freeform
in order
to
cover
the
least
possible
background,
being
the
GIS window.
The same is
also
true
for
navigation
programs
running as
the
main
application.
The home user
would
eventually
use freeform
windows to
show
certain
cuts from
photos
or live
web-pages as
live-screen
decoration.
It is up to
you to
decide
whether
this feature
is useful or
just nice to
you.
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Why
is WIMP better with Vidi windows?
WIMP takes
one
single
conceptual
direction. Vidi
tends to
balance the
WIMP between
its
own-reflected
alternate
concepts
regarding
use and
its
interaction-implementations.
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What is
better with Vidi windows when communicating
with other
people
If
you sends Vidi-configuration
instead of
the
internet-link
to your
communication
partner,
he/she can
see exactly
the
same amount
and
appearance
of
information
as you see (and only
that
much you
want to
communicate),
he/she doesn't
need to
look-at this
information
within a
browser
window.
They
eventually
don’t need
to slide
the
browser
window
up/down
for
the
information
sent.
They
don't need
to
worry
about the
browser or
any another
physical
»program« or
»application«.
One step in
the
cognitive
process can be
skipped
in
this
way, for
both users.