Editing Project Looking Glass (section)

== Similar projects ==
Looking Glass is similar to the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150113062228/http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/dcr/work/TaskGallery/ TaskGallery] prototype from [[Microsoft]] Research and the open source [[Croquet project]] based on [[Squeak]] in terms of allowance for the user to manipulate applications (including existing 2D applications) in a 3D space.  However, user interaction models of TaskGallery and Croquet are based on [[virtual reality]]-like experience where the user moves inside the 3D space to perform tasks, whereas Looking Glass retains the operational model of today's desktop (i.e. no walking around inside the 3D space) and uses 3D effects selectively where they are thought to be effective. Also, these three are similar as they are meant to work on adapted or enhanced versions of existing desktops rather than re-designing the entire [[graphical user interface]] from scratch, an approach taken by many [[zooming user interface|Zooming User Interface]] projects such as the one created by [[Jef Raskin]].

While many window managers (such as Microsoft's [[Desktop Window Manager]], the [[X Window System]] based [[Compiz]], and [[macOS]] through [[Core Animation]]) can utilize 3D effects, these merely augment a conventional 2D environment.