@RUTGERS.ARPA:BACH@SU-SCORE.ARPA (02/01/85)
From: Rene Bach <BACH@SU-SCORE.ARPA> I have a request for comment concerning the microwriter. Is there anyone who has used it ? Used it as a terminal keyboard ? I was impressed with the idea and asked for more information : Microwriter 251 E 61 St. NY, NY 10021 (212) 319-8602. I have no connection whatsoever with this company. Here is a summary of the beast : It is a (one) hand held, six keys keyboard. It includes a small display (about 15 letters), a memory 1600 word long, an RS232 port, cassette lead socket, charger socket and an auxilliary socket. cost around $500. How one uses it : one punches in "shapes" of letters using one or more keys, including numbers and special signs. Keys are punched in at the SAME time. (actually the system is smart about this, I should say same time frame). The sixth key is not really a character input key, but a "command" key. The keys location on the board match the finger location of the hand. One doesn't move the hand to type, just select which fingers will go down. Speed : After training, they claim one achieves 1.5 to 2 times the speed of hand writing, which appears to be equivalent to a medium speed typist. (This is my own estimate, please correct me if this is wrong). I see this device with a great potential if one could add a tracking device into it and hook it up to a workstation and use it both as a keyboard and a pointing device. This would free up the other hand to do other useful things (from scratching foreheads to holding the phone, turning pages to smack flies). One will not need to move the hand from the keyboard to the mouse and back !! I would appreciate comments. Rene bach@score -------
norman@sdcsla.UUCP (Donald A. Norman) (02/04/85)
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.
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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?
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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