Bumptop Goes Live - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

c.t.ner · 04-08-2009, 12:38 AM

You'll probably see a bit of buzz around the Tech blogs about it but the 3D Desktop Application Bumptop has been released to the masses.

It's been one of the most buzzed about apps in the industry for a while and thought I would post a link to it on the Tech Forum. Typically I wouldn't post this sort of stuff here but the main designer Anand Agarawala is a local Calgary boy (garnished his chops at the U of C) and hardcore Flames fan.

I've been a long time beta tester for the application and I can't recommend it enough. Now that it's available without an invite I recommend checking it out. Play around with it for a while and I can pretty much guarantee it'll change how you view your Windows desktop. At the very least support a local boy and flames fan.

photon · 04-09-2009, 07:58 AM

Interesting, I'll check it out.

fredr123 · 04-09-2009, 08:01 AM

Anand was at TED in 2007 showing off Bumptop. The oohs and aahhs in the crowd were telling.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/a...p_desktop.html

KTrain · 04-09-2009, 08:09 AM

It looks great. I have to wait for the Mac version to try it out.

I am surprised they didn't release it for Mac as well, since it seems to be a very "mac like" program.

c.t.ner · 04-09-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTrain

It looks great. I have to wait for the Mac version to try it out.

I am surprised they didn't release it for Mac as well, since it seems to be a very "mac like" program.

From what I've heard the Mac version is very much in the works. I think because it is a very mac-like app, he emphasis was on churning one out for archaic PC users.

I'm really stoked for the guy. It's a great app and gaining a lot of buzz. It's definitely worth the investment. Especially if your an XP or Vista user.

Rathji · 04-09-2009, 08:56 AM

I just don't see the appeal in something like this. I am more than happy with RocketDock keeping my desktop clear of apps. Although it does seem very cool, having random piles of stuff seems to be counter productive.

That said, I am downloading it right now.

Old Yeller · 04-09-2009, 10:19 AM

I echo Rathji's sentiment. This doesn't really seem like an "improvement" on the basic windows interface.

Rathji · 04-09-2009, 10:52 AM

Luckily the included spyware made my decision not to use this any further quite easy.

fredr123 · 04-09-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

Luckily the included spyware made my decision not to use this any further quite easy.

What's included?

Madman · 04-09-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

I echo Rathji's sentiment. This doesn't really seem like an "improvement" on the basic windows interface.

I agree.

I have installed it and am using it right now but don't see what it can do better for me. I tend not to have too many icons on my desktop and really don't see the improvement in my everyday workflow.

Rathji · 04-09-2009, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredr123

What's included?

Spybot triggered on something after install, I promptly uninstalled.

4/8/2009 4:35:54 PM Encountered and terminated Fraud.VirusDoctor in C:\Program Files\BumpTop\RunAsNonElevated.exe

Google came up with nothing but a complaint on the download page for bumpnet. If I had to guess it probably is just code that is unintentionally doing something wrong, but seeing as I am not overly interested in the product I don't want to take any chances

c.t.ner · 04-09-2009, 11:18 AM

That's odd, I've been beta testing it for almost a year and have not run into any spyware or malware issues.

It may have something to do with some of the features of bumptop and update integration. Their Support page - http://getsatisfaction.com/bumptop/ has a pretty in depth catalog of some of the errors that might occur if anyone else runs into problems.

sclitheroe · 04-10-2009, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

Spybot triggered on something after install, I promptly uninstalled.

4/8/2009 4:35:54 PM Encountered and terminated Fraud.VirusDoctor in C:\Program Files\BumpTop\RunAsNonElevated.exe

Google came up with nothing but a complaint on the download page for bumpnet. If I had to guess it probably is just code that is unintentionally doing something wrong, but seeing as I am not overly interested in the product I don't want to take any chances

For what its worth, if you google Fraud.VirusDoctor, you'll see that Spybot false positives on a number of safe apps, like the ATI Catalyst video driver software. So probably a number of apps use some common library in their development that Spybot is triggering on.

Rathji · 04-10-2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

For what its worth, if you google Fraud.VirusDoctor, you'll see that Spybot false positives on a number of safe apps, like the ATI Catalyst video driver software. So probably a number of apps use some common library in their development that Spybot is triggering on.

I agree that it probably isn't anything to be worried about if you want to use the product.

SebC · 04-10-2009, 05:03 PM

I don't WANT to replicate my actual desk on my PC desktop... my PC is way more organized, because everything is in an appropriate folder. Don't see the appeal. If I wanted a Mac, I'd get a Mac.

Temporary_User · 04-10-2009, 06:14 PM

I don't think I'll actually be downloading this app, but there are definitely some good ideas with it!
I like the idea of being able to select and group icons easily. Right now you have to right click, create a new folder, then move all your icons into that folder. With this new program that speeds things up quite a bit.
Making some icons bigger is a good idea.

How you view these icons is sort of cool, but somewhat unnecessary. I guess I like options, but I like things the same as well. It is almost like he added some of these options just to show that he can.
For pictures I really like these options, but I don't want them all on my desktop. If it was a separate program that you opened and there were all your pictures and could manipulate them like such I would like that.

I don't know how useful being able to bump into and move other icons around would be. That seems like it would get more annoying than anything.
There are some ideas that would make this useful for keeping an organized desktop, others that would make it more cluttered.
Without using it I also don't know if I like the 3d feel to it. being able to pin things on the "wall" and such. I would rather be looking down on my desktop and making to most use of my screen.

I guess some good ideas, in years it will be perfected. Hopefully he gets some good coin from all this, and it just simply all becomes standard options in Windows.

FlamesPuck12 · 04-10-2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SebC

I don't WANT to replicate my actual desk on my PC desktop... my PC is way more organized, because everything is in an appropriate folder. Don't see the appeal. If I wanted a Mac, I'd get a Mac.

I agree, at least for me, I don't want to replicate the desk. I like keeping things clean and simple and if my icons are all different sizes and all over the place, it'll just create a headache for me. I have 5 icons on my desk: Recycling Bin, My Computer, My Document, Internet, and a Folder to keep things organized. I don't like looking at 50+ scattered icons on a desktop. I even tried Rocketdock and I thought it was unnecessary, and stuck to my taskbar.

flamesfan6 · 04-11-2009, 01:27 AM

i put the "do not show icons" on my desktop ... as you can gather i dont actually use my desktop, its all start menu

Hemi-Cuda · 04-11-2009, 02:16 AM

i don't even use my desktop except for accessing my most used programs, for browsing i've stuck with trusty Windows Explorer since '95. this just looks like another one of those "make it look pretty" apps that doesn't actually add any new functionality

llama64 · 04-11-2009, 11:06 AM

Very cool ideas in Bumptop, but I'm still hesitant that it's actually useful given current hardware interfaces.

However, when touch screen interfaces (tablets) become far more common, I can see this type of interface becoming the defacto standard. Current hardware just doesn't do Bumptop justice.

Still, very cool this app has roots in Calgary.