Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!ukc!mucs!liv-cs!liv!kpurcell
From: KPURCELL@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Apple, Atkinson, Hertzfeld form new company
Message-ID: <90197.184945KPURCELL@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK>
Date: 16 Jul 90 17:49:44 GMT
References: <3470@husc6.harvard.edu>
Organization: University of Liverpool
Lines: 59

How does the startup of General Magic relate to the rumours flying around
of the Paradigm, a pocket-size notebook computer using a stylus for writing
in information?

They were reckoning on a 2 or 3 year development time, with the device using
a 50 MIP processor (something powerful anyhow). Perhaps voice I/O as well
as handwriting recognition. And perhaps using something very like Hypercard
as its main application?

The rumours I heard were that Hertzfield and Atkinson where working on
this together.

Atkinson has said (in Danny Goodman's book, The 'Complete Hypercard Handbook')
from which I quote (p xxi):

G: Where did the idea for HyperCard come from?

A: There were a lot of roots to it. One of the early contributors was the
Magic Slate project that I worked on for a while, but was later
cancelled. magic Slate was a laptop computer that had a full-page
display [like the DynaBook? -kgp] and an all-graphical user interface.
We worked out some neat paradigms [there's the P word!] for breaking
down barriers to applications.

G: Why was the Magic Slate dropped?

A: It couldn't happen in a short time frame. It wouldn't be cost
effective for a lot of people. It would be too expensive for many people
to get their hands on it.

G: So what happened then?

A: So I backed down [he really wants(wanted) to do this?] saying, "How
much have I learned or dreamed about here in Magic Slate could I do on
todays generation of computers?"

Later in the same interview Atkinson says:

"I said what I want is to bundle it [HyperCard]. If you want to bundle
it I'll write it for Apple. You can have the exclusive proprietory
rights and all that stuff, but if you don't want to bundle it then its
time for me to graduate from Apple and go on and be an independent
developer myself. I'm going to get this out to the people wherether I
give it away or whether I get Apple to give it away". To this day, Apple
is not required to bundle it [hypercard]. They only have an option that
if they choose to accept it, then they have to bundle it. They could say
not to me right now, but at least thne its ownership reverts to me so
that I can give it away, which I would do. You see I want it to be given
away so that it can be a base for people to share."

Perhaps General Magic will make the Magic Slate. Perhaps in a couple of years.
Perhaps they will be maintaing Hypercard. An Apple gets first bite, too?

Watch the skies!

Kevin Purcell ...........................Comments? Questions? Flames? Applause?
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