---
title: Pointing at Things
categories:
- work
content-tags: [apple, ui, hci]
---

Nine years ago [I got the Apple TV wrong](https://hans.gerwitz.com/2010/08/29/pointing-at-tv.html):

> I cannot imagine Apple adopting a discretely-shifting-focus UI akin to DVD menus…

That’s exactly what they did, of course. With more style and some polish that lends the feel of a cursor.

Now, Brent Simmons has [brought the issue up](https://inessential.com/2019/06/26/direct_and_indirect_interfaces) and makes a simpler and more durable prediction: our world of computing interfaces will continue to have indirect as well as direct manipulation[^manual] interfaces. I think this will hold true even in virtual or augmented reality.

[^manual]: I specify “manipulation” because voice may become commonplace but suits different contexts than interacting with pseudo-physical UIs.
