David's seeing some workflow potential with VR


Hey Chris and Mike,

Just want to quickly chime in on the AR / VR discussion. I don't believe that it's only entertainment and specialised professional applications that could benefit from VR in the near future. If you try out virtual desktop on a current VR headset and use a little imagination (forget the screen door effect, cables, discomfort and eye strain) it's easy to see how it could be more efficient mode of work for just about any modern desktop computing workflow.

We all know how little changes in our tooling and environment that seem inconsequential can actually make us visibly more productive and focused. Our brains simply work better in certain environments and contexts. If you try virtual desktop on a modern VR headset and use a little imagination, you can quickly see how we could tailor a much better work environment. The spatial element really gels with the brain just like how it's easier to pick up a book and flick to the right page without losing a train of thought than doing the same with an iPad. Being able to put your text editor and browser in front of you, a reference sheet to your side, and then spotify on the ceiling feels great, it may sound silly at first but it feels much more fluid than simply having multiple monitors. That experience in a comfortable headset would be a big improvement already, and that's simply using our current desktop UIs in a 3D space.

Now imagine they include eye tracking that could replace the use of a mouse, this coupled with better voice input methods means we may not be tethered so tightly to our desks within the next decade.

Of course we'll probably just end up with a new way to get told what to buy and have our personal data collected but hey there's at least the possibility of a more human way to interact with computers coming.

Thanks for the fun listening and stay safe!