Dynabook Usability
Doug Way
dway at riskmetrics.com
Thu Aug 28 16:54:28 UTC 2003
Jecel Assumpcao Jr wrote:
>On Thursday 28 August 2003 12:15, Gary McGovern wrote:
>
>
>>I partly agree with Alan about the virtual pages but has it been
>>tested which works better? All virtual pages or a combination of real
>>and virtual pages. As I said, I like to flick through pages with my
>>hands. But I also like to click through pages on a screen. But I
>>don't like to have lots of windows open on one screen.
>>
>>
>
>When the pages are dynamic, I don't see the point of having more than
>two of them.
>
>
Right. At least with Gary's example of flipping the pages of a
notebook, you can only ever see two pages at a time at most anyway. So,
there is no real advantage in flipping a physical page versus pressing a
button to see a new virtual page on the screen. So you don't need more
than two screens.
Now if Gary liked to write notes on index cards and spread them out on a
desk, that would be a different story. :-)
Speaking of hardware innovations, though, one idea I've thought would be
interesting: If you had a truly flexible screen technology, you could
have a dynabook with the form factor of a scroll. When rolled up, you'd
have a very portable (say) 6" long stick, which you could then unroll
into a 12"x6" screen. It could have a little brace which unfolds to
hold the screen in place. I'd think that a flexible, rollable screen
technology will be available before a screen which can be perfectly
folded with no gaps. I suppose this is more interesting from a
portability perspective than a usability perspective, though.
- Doug
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