From: rowlands@ra.csc.ti.com (Jon Rowlands)
Subject: Re: Pen Macintosh
Reply-To: rowlands@csc.ti.com (Jon Rowlands)
Organization: Texas Instruments, SPDC, DSP Technology Branch, Dallas
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 23:54:03 GMT

In article <1992Sep28.181549.22664@gallant.apple.com>, arno@apple.com
	(Arno Gourdol) writes:
  First, I am not representing Apple.

Got it.
  
  There is a lot of hype around Pen Computing these times. There is even
  Windows for Pen Computing. 
  Do you think there should be "Apple Extensions for Pen Computing"?

I think there should be unified extensions for arbitrary input
modalities, such as pens, image understanding (e.g. OCR), voice
(e.g. speech and music recognition) and body gestures (hands, head).
In other words, yes, add pen extensions, but don't stop there.

  How would you view these? What do you think those extensions should
  include
  so that you could say that "Apple did the things right". What do you
  expect?

I'd like to see high level input software modules abstracted from
the "engine" software parts, I guess connected by Apple Events or the
like. With complex application software heading into increasingly
specific or single function or "consumer" areas, it seems natural
that there will be even more demand than today for computers to suit
their tasks in a way which is obvious to naive users.

Application-specific input forms are already widespread in the form
of pressure sensitive drawing tablets, touch screens, the Voice
Navigator, chording keyboards, direct-input OCR, bar code readers and
so on. These are all integrated into the system or applications ad hoc.

I think what I'm asking for is a definition of a high-level input
architecture, which is to a large extent independent of the exact
nature of the input device. This would allow the use of the most
suitable interface for the application, which depends not only on the
software but also on the environment. For example, a generic
spreadsheet program might be controlled by a keyboard for general
use, a pen for equation entry, an OCR scanner for data entry, voice
for commands, and so on. Currently all these are implemented
either as disconnected applications or unwieldy system patches.

  What would you like to do with a Pen Macintosh?
  Write a thesis? Fill-in forms? Take notes?

  Do you consider that a Pen Macintosh would compete with Newton?
  Would you do the same tasks with Newton than with a Pen Macintosh?
  
  What would you rather buy? A Newton, a PowerBook or an hypothetical Pen
  Macintosh?
  
The main differentiating factor between a pen-based Mac, PowerBook or
Newton has to be portability. The desktop Mac is always going to allow
the most of everything else, followed by the PowerBook and Newton. I
have a Mac, and I'll probably buy a Newton. I don't think they compete,
whether or not there is a pen interface for the Mac, unless by some
mischance the Mac is about the same size and price as a Newton. The
portability vs size tradeoff just makes them better suited for
different purposes.

As an aside, I would like the Newton and the Mac to be able to be
very closely coupled. For example, I'd like to be able to use the
Newton as a pen interface for my (low cost) Mac on the occasions when
this is useful. When I edit an equation in a report, I want that part
of the screen to be duplicated on the Newton, where I can play with
it in the appropriate fashion.

Overall, I guess I've tried to answer a different question than the
one you asked. I think that focusing on pens to the exclusion of other
things is a mistake in the long run, even though they are popular now.
Like all the other high tekketry sprouting in the last year or so,
it's main attraction at this instant is it's novelty value because of
the lack of well-suited applications. By making sure that vendors have
freedom to influence the style of input interfaces to a large degree,
we'll hopefully end up with the most suitable interfaces, pen or
otherwise, for the successful applications that emerge in the near and
very exciting future.

thanks for making me think,
-- 
Jon Rowlands			email: rowlands@csc.ti.com
Texas Instruments		phone: 1-214-995-3436
SPDC, DSP Technology Branch	  fax: 1-214-995-0304
Dallas, Texas, USA