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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!cit-vax!amdahl!fai!cerebus!ronc
From: ronc@cerebus.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Flat Displays and Portable Computers
Message-ID: <52@cerebus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Jan-87 20:48:26 EST
Article-I.D.: cerebus.52
Posted: Wed Jan 28 20:48:26 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Jan-87 06:14:48 EST
References: <1191@ucbcad.berkeley.edu> <191@its63b.ed.ac.uk> <38@cerebus.UUCP> <1052@ius2.cs.cmu.edu> <275@netxcom.UUCP>
Reply-To: ronc@cerebus.UUCP (sysadm)
Organization: Fujitsu America, Inc.
Lines: 36

In article <275@netxcom.UUCP> ewiles@netxcom.UUCP (Edwin Wiles) writes:
>In article <1052@ius2.cs.cmu.edu> ralphw@ius2.cs.cmu.edu (Ralph Hyre) writes:
>>How about adding a connector for a optional keyboard and pointing device
>>on the side of the machine?
>No, don't add a keyboard on the end!  It was designed with the idea in mind
>that it would be about the size of a notebook.  If you add an auxiliary
>keyboard you defeat the design intent.

Actually, as I recall from the book, it was the size of a pocket calculator.
I.E., smaller than a notebook.  (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm
wrong...)

>If you need a keyboard, then use the touch sensitive screen to create one.

I think that also defeats the purpose of the device.  I can't believe one
would invent an amazing do-everything personal secretary and cling to such
ineffecient entry methods as touch sensitive keyboards (ever tried doing
some serious typing on one?) or pencil and paper!  I would expect a few
buttons for most used functions, and voice control/input for the rest.
But if one *must* use a keyboard, it better be one I can touch type on,
or it would be pretty much useless to me.

Someone else said it's just a toy if it won't talk to a mainframe.  I
say it's also just a toy if it won't connect to, or provide the functionality
of, a decent terminal.  Not just for the keyboard, (which may be obsoleted
by a sophisticated voice input) but for the (better, larger) display.


				Ron
-- 

	Ronald O. Christian (Fujitsu America Inc., San Jose, Calif.)
	seismo!amdahl!fai!cerebus!ronc  -or-   ihnp4!pesnta!fai!cerebus!ronc

	"Down, boy"
			"Woof"