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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