Cube Server handles user input,  virtual world management and rendering. In the future Cube server will also enable user to manipulate and collaborate on remote 3D applications, using CORBA as underline RPC.
Local 3D Application use API calls through DLL stub to communicate with Cube Server. There is a special local 3D application: Win32Wrapper, which takes over the control of conventional windows 2D application's input and output (by the use of Win32 Hook), wraps windows 2D application into 3D application.

Illustration of global view of the Cube (click to enlarge):

Cube Kernel

Cube Kernel is the core of the Cube Server, it includes Cube Manager and a 3D Rendering engine. Cube Manager controls the Virtual world, Input, Networking and Security. 3D Rendering engine is object oriented and designed to be independent of low level rendering API. (currently only support OpenGL)

Win32Wrapper

Cube runs on Microsoft Windows. Win32Wrapper turns desktop 2D applications into 3D applications live in the Cube. It is able to capture the 2D output of Windows applications (no matter they are overlapped or not) into corresponding 3D application, and send back user input messages to Windows applications.
(The following pictures are taken from first working Win32Wrapper, at time of 2003.7)

Current Progress and Todo list

done:

• 2D app representation in 3D
• 3D mouse
• Object manipulation in 3D
• 'Round room' as work space
• Objects are able to snap (minimize) to round wall
• 'Species Launcher' - a 3D start menu / folder explorer
• Cuber Server Application, win32 program, user interface
• A Cube manager
• Object Oriented Scenegraph based rendering engine
• Win32 global message hooking
• Win32 application input and output redirection

todo:

• Improve the performance of rendering engine (by adding octree and bsp tree scene manager)
• Add more features to the rending engine. (shadow, etc.)
• Implement more 3D metaphors and world elements
• Multi-user Collaboration (networking and security)