Requiem for the HMD (2019) | Hacker News Reader

Requiem for the HMD (2019)

highfidelity.com

19 pointsStevvo10 comments

The head-mounted VR productivity workstation already exists [1], it's just not evenly distributed.

The solution I've found to points #2 and #3 in this article is to put the keyboard in your lap or chair, and work via touch typing.

[1] https://blog.immersed.team/working-from-orbit-39bf95a6d385

Putting your keyboard in your lap isn't going to work for many people. For those who have always touch typed it makes sense, but many still have to look down at the keys despite using a computer for many hours a day.

Never had a chance to try it, but my first reaction to the Hololens announcement was exactly that. Being able to have your physical input devices in view whilst still seeing an overlay of your screen. It's prohibitively expensive though.

I read that before, and the thing that stuck out to me the most was the need for humongous virtual displays to make the pixel density of the display match that of the HMD.

I'll be honest, I would have trouble doing that. A lot of head movement and aliased fonts - aren't things I'll give up my monitor for.

I read this article the other day, and tried it out. It works, but it's definitely for the enthusiast. I think the stuff outlined in the OP accurately describe what needs to change for this to get to mass market.

I DO think it looks like we are going to get there though. the delta of improvement on the issues that are holding us back seems quite high.

It feels like we are roughly in the Commodore 64-era of things with VR, if we use the PC as our metaphor. Definitely still for the enthusiast, but only a couple iterations away from something truly mass market in it's usefulness.

>You can’t trade your personal security for a new experience, no matter how compelling

This seems like a weird assertion in a world where casual sex is a popular pastime.

Or more common examples of statistically dangerous behavior like driving or alcohol.

I interpreted "personal security" in the narrowest sense to steelman the argument. They are saying that flailing around blind is a compromising position to put oneself in; so is disrobing with a stranger you met at the bar.

FYI, this was published in 2019 according to the end of the article.

I’m not sure much has changed though :(

Yea, I made the post despite the age of the article because of how well it holds up today. A bright future where you can replace multiple desktop monitors with a VR headset is coming, but by my own estimation it's still 10 years away.

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