December 29, 2006 8:37 AM PST

Sun releases Looking Glass 1.0 interface

Sun Microsystems has released version 1.0 of its Looking Glass software, a Java-based 3D user interface.

Although Sun holds most sway in the server market, Looking Glass was an attempt to show it had some chops in the desktop market as well. The user interface lets windows be turned on edge when not needed or flipped so notes can be recorded on the backs. In addition, music collections appear as a shuffling stack of CDs and users can switch among different tasks by rotating a virtual 3D cube with different jobs on different faces.

Versions of Looking Glass can be downloaded for computers running Windows XP and for Linux and Solaris on x86 computers.

Java pioneer James Gosling noted the arrival of Looking Glass on his blog last week. He also pointed to the release earlier in December of Plethora 1.0 , a plug-in that enables programmers to use Sun's NetBeans development tools to create Looking Glass applications.

Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.

Topics:: Sun Microsystems

Tags:: Sun Microsystems Inc

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