Patent ID: 8448092

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, comprising: configuring one or more computer processors to perform an operation for arranging a plurality of display elements in a three-dimensional desktop environment, comprising: receiving a user request to apply a positional effect to the plurality of display elements, wherein each display element of the plurality of display elements includes a respective gravitational attribute specifying how the respective display element behaves relative to a first plane in the three-dimensional desktop environment, and wherein each display element of the plurality of display elements is disposed at an initial position in the three-dimensional desktop environment; receiving user input specifying: (i) a value for the gravitational attribute of each of the plurality of display elements, (ii) the first plane, (iii) one or more of the plurality of display elements for which the positional effect is not to be applied, and (iv) a second plane in the three-dimensional desktop environment to which the specified one or more display elements are to be affixed; affixing the specified one or more display element to the second plane responsive to the received user input specifying the second plane; and in response to the received user request, applying the positional effect to the remaining plurality of display elements not specified to be affixed to the second plane by: determining, for each of the remaining plurality of display elements, a final position based on the respective gravitational attribute, wherein the final position for one or more of the display elements is disposed at a distance from the first plane, and wherein the distance is determined from the gravitational attribute of the respective display element; and rendering an animation of each of the remaining plurality of display elements moving from the respective initial position to the respective final position.