Why Touch Screens Will Not Take Over

[bill]

Why Touch Screens Will Not Take Over [scientificamerican.com]

At first, you might think, "Touch has been incredibly successful on our phones, tablets, airport kiosks and cash machines. Why not on our computers?"

I'll tell you why not: because of "gorilla arm."

I have not tried a desktop Windows 8 machine with a touchscreen, but I could imagine it could be awkward. Especially after years of me yelling at people who dared touch my screens.

[incrediBILL]

LOL @ "gorilla arm"

Touch will take over.

Maybe not as the primary input mode, but it's nice to touch things at times as it simplifies the process and as the technology is getting cheaper by the day it'll probably be on all screen by default in a few years.

More importantly, the orientation and position of some screens will change to be more touch friendly than a big vertical sitting on the desktop. I could easily see the future desktop computer literally being the desktop, like the original Windows Surface, which eliminates the silly gorilla arm concept.

[lucy24]

I could easily see the future desktop computer literally being the desktop

With anamorphic monitor settings so the the picture looks right even if you're not looking at it from something approximating a 90° angle?

Urk. Now watch as that degree sign acquires a leading  for half of all readers.

[bill]

More importantly, the orientation and position of some screens will change to be more touch friendly than a big vertical sitting on the desktop.

I was in a big electronics store recently and some of the 20"-30" touch desktop screens can be set at about a 25° angle. That could make more sense for a touch workspace. Although then we'd have to reconsider office lighting and the screen glare.

[Panthro]

I like Windows 8 because it's the best of both worlds. On touch-enabled machines, you can touch when it's fastest/easiest and use the keyboard when it's not. Another reason I think the Surface is innovative.

[Andem]

I don't think touchscreen desktop PCs will ever take off, either. I've had one for a couple of years now (Vaio L-series) and using it for more than 2 minutes get extremely awkward.

I simply don't use the touchscreen AT ALL. Getting fingerprints all over my screen is just a secondary annoyance.

[brotherhood of LAN]

I'm not keen on them and don't think they'll replace large monitors.

On a joules per keystroke/mouse movement scenario, I'm pretty sure mouse & keyboard win.

[scooterdude]

I think touch , in windows 8 is aimed at tablets, phones and the new convertible laptops(tablet/laptop)

The ease of taking off the laptop screen, leaving the keyboard behind, an using it like a tablet is great, I think they've got some work to do on win 8, but it makes sense , for me, in that scenario

[bhonda]

I'm waiting to see what the posture and ergonomic folks say about it. After all the years of being told that your chair has to be at the right height, with your forearms resting in the right place, in order to use a keyboard and mouse safely, I'm not willing to be the guinea pig if it may cause me back problems or RSI in a few months.

Nice gimmick on desktops, nothing more yet until it gets more established and researched.