If you have not noticed most menu systems are two dimensional. Take a look at a typical applications' menu bar. Such a bar navigates a two dimensional map of information. Consequently, the design and function of the menu system is also 2-D. The main menu bar usually appears along one axis with individual second-tier menus extending orthogonal. Also, deeper menus are always displayed orthogonal to their parent. The result is a alternating axis of display for each consecutive menu in the active hierarchy. Horizontal, vertical, horizontal, and then vertical etc.
An interesting puzzle to was create a single dimension, horizontal graphical menu allowing the navigation of a 2-D information hierarchy. Since there is only one display dimension, viewing a full hierarchy tree is impossible, yet there are compromises.
This is the first solution to the puzzle.
Copyright © 2002 Noel Rubin