Figgles goes to UIST
SADUN, ERICA LIEBMAN
Well, I'm back to reality from UIST. Here's some notes.
First: I spotted at >least< ten Newts around UIST, a very small conference
mind you. There were about equal numbers of laptops and Newts this year.
Last year everyone had their powerbooks and were linkin' em up and exchanging
information. This year was beam-o-rama. I notice that Apple built in
"safe-computing". There was no way to beam over my keyboard application,
only data. Shameful.
The cool blue glow of portable screens serenely lit up the room during talks,
filling me with indescribable envy. A newton under low light conditions
is about as readable as a microfische under low light conditions. In between
periods of total darkness (when videos were playing), I could take some notes
and risk major brain trauma while squinting my eyes out. I noticed several
things:
1. give up entirely the idea of taking notes with handwriting
recognition turned on. There is no way to figure out what
the newton has guessed and the net effect is to shrink the
letters to the point of vanishment.
2. if you write in longhand (recognizers turned off), you better
be ready to write in script. Every stroke is a separate graphical
object and writing in print means that you have, say, five
strokes per letter. Do the math. This is a fun way to kill your
newton.
3. If you do write in cursive be aware that you will have to start
a fresh page every two seconds as you fill up the previous page.
This is a much slower way to kill your newton, but eventually it
will work too. Watch as the newton performance decreases...and
decreases...and decreases...and dies.
Oh if only I had a backlit screen. I suffered from backlit envy the entire
conference! Honestly, a backlit powerbook (or whatever) is the way to
go for these sorts of conferences. Even well-lit, the newt is just too
slow for continual notes. I use it to "jot" & keep a notepad to scribe.
I find I need to take the notepad along so when I start exceeding the newt
speed limit, I can switch to non-virtual mode. I really miss being able to
take non-script notes on the Newt on the fly without seriously affecting
Figgles' mental state. On the other hand, I find I tend to scratch out
information on the notebook paper and then get really frustrated when it
doesn't >>poof<<! (I started laughing uncontrollably when I finally figured
out what was going on (actually not going on) had to leave the conference room
prematurely).
Why is the keyboard so slow? Even with the sounds turned off in preferences
and extras, typing on the Newt keyboard is still a frustratingly slow
experience with big latencies between keypresses and typed results.
Also, I am still dying for the day that I can use my own shorthand for
things like apt --> appointment or schd --> schedule and have it
expand it out. This doesn't even include my upside down delta which
I use for "change". In future PDA's we should be able to train the
system for special notations which include domain specific areas like
calculus or chemistry... Also: would someone please find me a public
domain thesaurus that I can download? All I need is the data right now...
Thanks!
As a final note, Tog of apple fame announced to us that Women "just don't
get" the computer thing. So I wonder if I can just pretend to be a guy
here for a while--if I lay low, maybe no one will notice I'm a chick.
At least my husband appreciates me!
Erica
TOP DELETE WORDS
These are the top delete words for when I am trying to delete...but miss.
I find them pretty amusing.
mr. (oh you meant I wasn't polite enough?)
win (I beg your pardon! MAC!)
unwise (I am glad to know you treasure my words, but I >mean< to delete them)
runner (well speed up and get this deleted)
immune (Of course you are immune to my deletes. You just want to annoy me!)
ERICA'S HIERARCHY OF ERRORS
1. OOPs. Oh well I'll live with it.
2. Undo.
3. Sleep (power on/off)
4. Restart? okay
5. Poke figgles in the reset button
6. full restart
7. restart and lose rom stuff too.
REVIEW OF THE DAY
There is a very strange bopping game out on the net. (Bopper?) I played
with it a few minutes and was agreeably surprised at the fun of hitting
poor Figgles. Give it a try and see if its your cupOTea. Grade:B
NOTES
Has anyone else noticed how little freeware and how much shareware there
is out there? I was majorly surprised that even the smallest apps seemed
to have a $5 price tag. I wonder why. What am I missing?
--
===========================ERICA SADUN================================
Grep foo whilst ye may, oh daemons of the Spring...
er...@cc.gatech.edu
======================================================================
Richard Bollar
> Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
> Well, I'm back to reality from UIST. Here's some notes.
> NOTES
> Has anyone else noticed how little freeware and how much shareware there
> is out there? I was majorly surprised that even the smallest apps seemed
> to have a $5 price tag. I wonder why. What am I missing?
People have realized that they really can't afford the NTK and are trying to recoup at least some of the cost?
Erik Ramberg
ERICA LIEBMAN) wrote:
>
Stuff deleted...
>
> As a final note, Tog of apple fame announced to us that Women "just don't
> get" the computer thing. So I wonder if I can just pretend to be a guy
> here for a while--if I lay low, maybe no one will notice I'm a chick.
> At least my husband appreciates me!
>
> Erica
>
This is really too bad...what was the context of the statement? Oh well,
I'm always so disappointed to be reminded that there are still a lot of
nearsighted people around.
-Erik
------------------------------------------------------------------
hmmmmm....
Nothing that I say can be construed as the opinion of my employer.
John Rostoni
presentation. The lights were well dimmed and of course, using
Newton under these conditions is difficult at best. At least the
frustration was keeping me awake - the vendor's presentation wasn't.
Later, I got the flash that maybe one of those little bitty book
lights that bookstores sell to people who read in bed would be useful.
Anybody try one? I suppose maybe double stick tape or velco could be
used to stick it to the carrying case or to the bottom of the Newton.
Another possibility would be the unit that Nintendo sells for the Game
Boy.
maybe a little cutting and stuff is necessary, but an overhead light
shining on the screen (looking out for reflections) might work pretty
well. Most
of them are shielded so as to keep them out of your eyes.
I think I'll rummage through the junk pile in the garage and see what's
out there. I know I have one of each of the above.
Report to follow...
John Rostoni
Pacific Gas & Electric jw...@pge.com
Blair MacIntyre
>>>>> On 9 Nov 1993 20:56:40 GMT, erik_r...@SMTP.esl.com (Erik
>>>>> Ramberg) said:
Erik> In article <122...@hydra.gatech.EDU>, gt5...@prism.gatech.EDU
Erik> (SADUN, ERICA LIEBMAN) wrote:
>
> As a final note, Tog of apple fame announced to us that Women "just don't
> get" the computer thing. So I wonder if I can just pretend to be a guy
> here for a while--if I lay low, maybe no one will notice I'm a chick.
> At least my husband appreciates me!
>
> Erica
Erik> This is really too bad...what was the context of the statement?
Erik> Oh well, I'm always so disappointed to be reminded that there are
Erik> still a lot of nearsighted people around.
I let this go the first time, because I was too lazy to respond. I was
there, and was at Tog's talk. I remember the comment I think Erica is
referring to, but I can't remember the context. I think it may have
been when he was describing his recent programming binge. Either that,
or something about the movie/promo project he's working on for Sun. In
either case, I don't remember it as being a serious comment. Tog's
talks are filled with sarcasm ...
Erica, it obviously made an impression on you. When was it? Refresh my
memory!
--
Blair MacIntyre --- b...@cs.columbia.edu --- CS Department, Columbia University
"I only have 38 Meg left. I'll have to remove someone's account ..."
-- my favourite sysadmin ...
SADUN, ERICA LIEBMAN
]In article <122...@hydra.gatech.EDU], gt5...@prism.gatech.EDU (SADUN,
]ERICA LIEBMAN) wrote:
]]
]Stuff deleted...
]]
]] As a final note, Tog of apple fame announced to us that Women "just don't
]] get" the computer thing. So I wonder if I can just pretend to be a guy
]] here for a while--if I lay low, maybe no one will notice I'm a chick.
]] At least my husband appreciates me!
]This is really too bad...what was the context of the statement? Oh well,
]I'm always so disappointed to be reminded that there are still a lot of
]nearsighted people around.
The context was a very funny speech about how Tog is a recovering
program-a-holic.
Erica
"My name is Erica, and I am a program-a-holic..."
Sandy Wise
Later, I got the flash that maybe one of those little bitty book
Another possibility would be the unit that Nintendo sells for the Game
Boy.
Another one... I used to know someone who was a theater director.
She had a ballpoint pen that had a little flashlight in it. (The tip
of the pen was clear, so light would shine out in all directions from
the pen resulting in a small circle of light around the pen). The
light was diffuse enough that I don't think glare would be a
problem... Of course, the pen wouldn't fit in the pen holder on the
Newton...
/s
--
Alexander Erskine Wise /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Software Development Laboratory
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ WI...@CS.UMASS.EDU /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\/\/\ This situation calls for large amounts of unadulterated CHOCOLATE! /\/\/\
Andy Cohen
> I was using my Newt to take notes during a vendor's slide
> presentation. The lights were well dimmed and of course, using
> Newton under these conditions is difficult at best. At least the
> frustration was keeping me awake - the vendor's presentation wasn't.
>
> Later, I got the flash that maybe one of those little bitty book
> lights that bookstores sell to people who read in bed would be useful.
> Anybody try one? I suppose maybe double stick tape or velco could be
> used to stick it to the carrying case or to the bottom of the Newton.
>
I thought of that too... One way I'd hoped it could work with the
IttyBitty Book light was to use the nonleather/button snap Newton carrying
case and clip the light to it.... Too bad, the cover uses the clip on the
upper end of the MP and it prevent the light from clipping to it. However,
one can fold the cover around then clip the light to the other side... By
the way I have one and it lights the MP well... along with about a 3 foot
circle around it... It'll be quite noticable to the others in the room....
You could also try night vision goggles..... but I'd doubt that they could
detect the LCD output....
Jesse Devine
>Has anyone else noticed how little freeware and how much shareware there
>is out there? I was majorly surprised that even the smallest apps seemed
>to have a $5 price tag. I wonder why. What am I missing?
Capitalism, I believe. Everyone is holding out hopes of getting
multitudes of $5 bills in the mail. I agree, though, there's not quite
enough freeware out there.
Keep your eyes out for one more, though, from yours truly: Newton Bullet.
This utility places a button at the bottom of the notepad (in the status
bar) which inserts a carriage return and a bullet character (option 8)
into your text at the current insertion point. Very useful for itemizing
issues in meetings, making lists, and so on. The best part about it is
that it remains in place even after a reset. No need to run it from the
extras drawer every time.
The app has been written and ready to be released for about two weeks
now. First, Apple held me up in paperwork signing over the rights to me
(Apple owns everything I create until I bludgeon them over the head with
paperwork) and now it's in the channel, waiting to be posted at various
ftp sites.
And, of course, it's freeware. Use. Enjoy.
With any luck, it should show up shortly at bnnrc-srv.med.jhu.edu,
assuming the ftp gods are smiling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|Jesse Devine | email : jes...@apple.com | Versatile. |
|Apple Computer, Inc. | AppleLink: DEVINE.J | Intelligent. |
|"These opinions are my own, thank you very much!" | Sticky. |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Bruce
jesse_...@gateway.qm.apple.com writes:
>With any luck, it should show up shortly at bnnrc-srv.med.jhu.edu,
>assuming the ftp gods are smiling.
/pub/newton/util/bullet.sit ;)
Thanks
Robert Bruce
"My opinions are my own, not Hopkin's..."
-----------------------------------------------------
Newton Mail: robbruce1
Johns Hopkins University 410-550-8194
Kennedy Krieger Institute "efficiency is the key"
Behavioral Neurogenetics Neuroimaging Research Center
Jesse Devine
>Another one... I used to know someone who was a theater director.
>She had a ballpoint pen that had a little flashlight in it. (The tip
>of the pen was clear, so light would shine out in all directions from
>the pen resulting in a small circle of light around the pen). The
>light was diffuse enough that I don't think glare would be a
>problem... Of course, the pen wouldn't fit in the pen holder on the
>Newton...
Someone, either here or on comp.sys.pen, had reported making a
"pen-light" out of a Newton stylus by wiring a tiny model RR light and a
lithium watch battery into the pen itself. They claimed great results,
but I have not seen it. Anybody else remember this?
Penelope Theodore
<jes...@apple.com> wrote:
> Someone, either here or on comp.sys.pen, had reported making a
> "pen-light" out of a Newton stylus by wiring a tiny model RR light and a
> lithium watch battery into the pen itself. They claimed great results,
> but I have not seen it. Anybody else remember this?
>
Didn't see this, but on a similar note, a friend and I (both Newton owners)
have been sorely tempted by the "miner" type headbands which strap a light
to your forehead, which could then be directed at Newton. Geek chic?
Penelope Theodore
Computing and Information Services
Brown University
Providence, RI
Penelope...@brown.edu