In chat mode, as text is typed it appears in the lower window of the typist's display and the upper window of the student's display. Simultaneously, the student can enter messages. These appear in the lower window of the student's display and the upper window of the typist's display. The 'edit' mode lets the student scroll back through the material in the local workspace while the typist continues to type. If the student selects edit mode, the typist continues to operate in chat mode, documenting the lecture.
Incoming text continues to be appended to both workspaces.
If the edit window is displaying text near the end of the student's workspace, new lines of text will be displayed as they are received from the typist. Each machine runs identical software, and participates equally in the communications process. The null modem serial cable is wired so data sent by one laptop is received by the other, and vice versa. The components labelled 'Popup', 'Editor' and 'PwrEd' are objects operating within the program. Two instances of the PwrEd object have been used.