Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcsla.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcs!lsuc!pesnta!hplabs!sdcrdcf!sdcsvax!sdcsla!norman From: norman@sdcsla.UUCP (Donald A. Norman) Newsgroups: net.works Subject: Re: MICROWRITER keyboard, request for comments Message-ID: <786@sdcsla.UUCP> Date: Mon, 4-Feb-85 11:14:01 EST Article-I.D.: sdcsla.786 Posted: Mon Feb 4 11:14:01 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 7-Feb-85 09:45:37 EST References: <466@topaz.ARPA> Reply-To: norman@sdcsla.UUCP (Donald A. Norman) Organization: U.C. San Diego, Cognitive Science Lab Lines: 67 Summary: In article <466@topaz.ARPA> @RUTGERS.ARPA:BACH@SU-SCORE.ARPA Rene Bach asks about the "microwriter." This is a one hand, 6 key keyboard. It comes with a couple of thousand of characters of memory and a large number of editing commands. I have one of the beasts and have done some evaluation of it. I had a group of students in my course on "Cognitive Engineering" do a term paper, evaluating it. Both I and one of the research faculty at the Instute learned it well enough to use for a few weeks. We gave it up. 1. It is a good idea. The mnemomic structure for the letters of the alphabet and numbers is quite good. You can learn to type, one handed, without looking at the keyboard in 30 to 60 minutes. Speed eventually does reach about 10 to 20 wpm (it varies with the user). Those are faster than my handwriting, but slower than even novice typists. Those are the good points. Now for the bad. 2. The technology is archaic. early 1970's. The unit is very heavy and bulky (mostly the rechargeable batteries, I would guess). The display screen is small (about 16 characters -- sorry I can't check: the unit is at the University) and of limited resolution so that some letters are hard to read. The limited display makes it almost worthless as a text editor (which is an application they tout highly). 3. The main problems are the way that the control commands are implemented. My students did a redesign in which there were a set of dedicated keys off to the side that entered the various control modes. As it is now, it is very easy to accidentally hit the control key (one of two keys operated by the thumb: all the rest of the keys are uniquely mapped: one finger, one key). This causes entry into one of umpteen modes. The modes are not only very confusing, but there is no notification to the user except a subtle mark on the display. And since yu are supposed to be able to use this WITHOUT WATCHING THE DISPLAY (one of the ads shows soemone looking through a microscope and typing), all hell can break loose, and the user never knows it. Not only do you lose what you thought you were typing, but you can destroy what was typed previously. The control sctructure is truly horrid. My students really simplified it by using a few dedicated buttons. And their cardboard mockup is mch smaller. (Of course, they assumed technology of the 80's.) In summary, for straight typing it is a very good idea. For any control keys, or editing, or redisplay of your work (or attempts to hook up the RS-232 port -- well, forget it). Maybe next time someone will get it right. ----- HELP: I have a suspicion that my news articles (again) are not leaving the UCSD campus. If someone not in San Diego gets this, would they please send me a note so I know things work? ----- Donald A. Norman Institute for Cognitive Science C-015 University of California, San Diego La Jolla, California 92093 UNIX: {ucbvax,decvax}!sdcsvax!sdcsla!norman OR ARPA: norman@nprdc