Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!batcomputer!cornell!uw-beaver!steelhead.cs.washington.edu!chou
From: chou@steelhead.cs.washington.edu (Pai Hsiang Chou)
Subject: Re: the interface for the rest of us?
Message-ID: <1991May4.224336.20614@beaver.cs.washington.edu>
Sender: news@beaver.cs.washington.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: Computer Science & Engineering, U. of Washington, Seattle
References: <9105021606.AA26962@lti2.lti.uucp>
Date: Sat, 4 May 91 22:43:36 GMT

In article <9105021606.AA26962@lti2.lti.uucp> reg@lti2.UUCP (Rick Genter x18) writes:
>I recently read an article in the March '91 issue of MacUser that
>reviews PenPoint, GO Corporation's pen-based operating system.  The
>user interface is (or can be) entirely pen-driven.  PenPoint supports
>an optional keyboard, but its use is discouraged.
>
>Is this really "the interface for the rest of us"?
>...
>The "pen" also strikes me as cumbersome; it's one more thing I have to
>worry about breaking/losing/maintaining/whatever.
>...
>So what's the win?  After reading the article, I concluded that PenPoint
>will be good for a limited set of applications, usually revolving around
>filling out forms in a non-time-critical environment.  I can not see how
>PenPoint would ever provide a comfortable environment for a "power" user,
>or even for the everyday user.
>
>How do others feel?

I don't think the pen interface will replace keyboard in
what we know as computers today; rather, it will fill the
gaps that are not covered by keyboard and mouse, particulary
in portable applications.

A keyboard is something that really can't be miniaturized
too much.  A tiny, calculator-sized keyboard is simply unusable.
A standard sized keyboard takes up a significant amount of space.

To input graphics, you need either a mouse or a pen.  A mouse
requires a flat surface, or you can use a trackball, but again,
neither can be easily miniaturized.  Some alternative mouse devices
like a sliding/rolling bar (I forget the name) may save space,
but they are not as natural as a pen for inputting quick and dirty
graphics.

By eliminating the keyboard and the mouse, you can use the
space for more screen area and battery pack which are two
valuable resources in a notebook computer.

We are used to the one centralized computer model, but consider the
trend towards distributed computing.  What if you want
to carry several computers, some of which might be special
purpose (e.g. pocket dictionary)?  The Franklyn dictionary
computer is a good example.
The keyboard takes up most of the top surface,
but it is too tiny to be ergonomic.  Yet its display gives you only
two lines at a time -- but I don't want to have to scroll back
and forth to see both the definition and synonyms at the same time.
Then the pen will be a big win in this case.

It would be nice if the same pen can be used on different computers
so that I only have to carry one around, or borrow somebody elses
if I lose mine.  I would rather carry a pen with several keyboardless
notebook computers than several tiny-screened computers, each with
their own keyboard and trackball.

Pai Chou
chou@june.cs.washington.edu