From: fordj@yvax.byu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: What are we doing with our notebook computers?
Date: 22 Nov 92 16:17:09 -0700
Organization: Brigham Young University


As the happy owner of a new Apple PowerBook 145 I have been pleased to 
find this group and benefit from the interesting discussions of notebook 
computers and other aspects of "mobile computing."

I have noticed, somewhat to my disappointment, that the discussion in 
this group is largely hardware-related.  While these issues are 
interesting, I would like to know more about not just the software being 
used by my fellow notebook users, but about what all of you are doing 
with your notebooks that was not possible without them.  What new 
functional roles are emerging because of mobile computing and what new 
software products and/or styles of using existing software are emerging 
as a result?

From my own experience, and from thinking about some of the things I saw 
at COMDEX this past week, I can offer the following examples of the kinds 
of "new roles" I am thinking of:

1.  Personal time management.  I picked up a demo version of the new 
Franklin planner-based software at COMDEX and have been experimenting 
with a couple of different "To Do List" managers, trying to find the one 
that best fits my work style.  While this kind of software has been 
available for some time, it is only with the appearance of notebook 
computers that is has become practical to do all or most personal 
scheduling online.  What issues are you dealing with to make this happen?  
Alternatively, why have some of you decided not to use this kind of 
software?

2.  Interviewing support.  In my current job I do expert interviewing 
("knowledge acquisition") to support the development of certification 
tests of computer skills.  In the past I have done similar interviewing 
to support expert system and instructional development.  I have always 
craved a portable computer to support me in this and finally I have one.  
In addition to allowing me to type notes while I interview, I can now 
work with experts to develop "shared representations" (sorry for the 
cognobabble) of the area of expertise we are covering.  These 
representations, not necessarily textual, require that I do some things 
outside of the range of my word processor so I have begun some 
interviewing support tool development in HyperCard.  Anybody else doing 
things like this?  I would love to hear about it.

3.  Classroom notetaking support.  I am also currently a graduate student 
(but not for long!) and am happy to have a good notetaking tool.  
Naturally I make heavy use of my word processor in doing this.  Anybody 
using any more specialized tools than this?  What about the effect of 
notebook-based notetaking on the degree to which you use or do not 
use/include diagrams in your notes?  I did some research a couple of 
years ago with some undergrad classes that I was teaching about the form 
of notes.  Not many graphical/diagrammatic kinds of things in their 
notes.  Mostly just text core dump.  Do notebooks free us from this 
tendency or just make it worse?

4.  Library research.  I spent a lot of time last year developing a 
shareware HyperCard tool called SNOWBALL Reference Notes.  This tool was 
intended to be support for researchers doing literature reviews in 
preparation for writing papers, articles, reports, etc.  This tool has 
been useful to myself and to others, but its usefulness increases greatly 
when one can take it to the library and use it there to enter 
information.  It helps to cut out the infamous "xeroxing" step in the 
migration of information from published sources to finished papers.  Is 
anybody else using a tool like this to do research with?  What kind of 
tools might you be using to do other information gathering tasks 
important to your work?

5.  Turning lab research into field research.  I am currently working on 
my dissertation in Instructional Psychology.  Part of my research 
involves having participants use a small expert system that I have 
developed and then respond to some questions about the experience.  
Thanks to my new PB, I no longer have to do this in some dingy lab in an 
obscure part of campus.  While I should probably resist my impulse to 
hold these sessions in the park (particularly in December), I could do 
them in the library, in the student building, or in some other 
comfortable place.  As corny as it sounds, this makes me feel FREE! 
(Leaps in air, waves arms about.)  What effect will this have on the data 
that I collect?  On my and their attitude towards research?  What do you 
think?

I am very interested in learning how people are using their notebook 
computers and what barriers you are breaking down, what new frontiers are 
opening to you.  Let's discuss these issues in this group as well as the 
hardware concerns.

"Thanks for noticing me."  :-)

John M. Ford             BYU Instructional Psychology Program
740 South 50 East        (801) 224-9039
Orem, UT 84058           fordj@yvax.byu.edu