What's the most important characteristic of Windows? The answer is simple: it's an easily comprehensible, graphically oriented way to use high-performance DOS personal workstations. But as useful as Windows' graphical metaphor is, a human is not born with a mouse in hand. For those of us brought up with the command line, the mouse often gets in the way.
But what if we added a more familiar metaphor to the mix, providing a way to interact with computers that utilizes skills we've used since our first days in kindergarten? Microsoft has done just that in its implementation of Pen Windows.
Microsoft isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it has layered pen extensions on top of the existing Windows 3.0 environment. The stylus can be used to point and click, enter text, draw freehand graphics directly onscreen, link bits of data or text, and even access the command line in Dos-based programs. In fact, the Pen layer of Pen Windows intercepts handwritten text, converts it to character form and either displays it or initiates the appropriate commands regardless of whether or not the application is Windows-compliant Microsoft has also integrated gesture commands into the program, allowing words to be cut, pasted, or amended through stylus gestures.
Admittedly, pen-based systems do not represent a major share of the market and are not likely to find wide acceptance in the near future. But when users are ready to try this technology, Microsoft will be there, pen in band.
More directly related to our charter is a monthly exploration of currently shipping Windows applications. A number of as yet unreported programs have come to our attention in the past several weeks. These new applications include Datacap, Inc.'s Paper Keyboard, a handwriting and form recognition software package; Micro Decisionware's PC/SQIUNK, an SQL database access package; Network Dimensions, Inc.'s GRAFNET PLUS, a graphical network display and documentation package; Roykore Software, Inc.'s ABC Flowcharter, a flowchart-specific drawing package; and two utility programs from The Voyager Company, called The Voyager CD Audio Toolkit and The Voyager Videodisc Toolkit.
This month's Windows list includes the 16 available Windows databases:
* dbfast/windows, from Bellevue, Wa-based Bumblebee Software, Inc., provides a complete dbase-compatible editor, compiler, and run-time environment under Windows.
* Erwin, from Princeton, NJ-based Logic Works, Inc., is a graphical database modeling and design tool.
* Formbase 1.1 Windows Edition, from Ventura Software (San Diego, CA), combines forms generation and management with a relational database.
* Image-in Panorama, from Minneapolis, MN-based Image-In, Inc., is an image database management program.
* Omnis 5, from Blyth Software, Inc. Foster City, CA), is a single- or multiuser object-oriented database.
* PC/SQL-lINK, from Micro Decisionware (Boulder, CO), is a SQL linking utility, providing Windows programs with access to data in either DB2 or SQL/DS formats.
* Personal librarian 2.1, from Rockville, MD-based Personal library Software, is a personal database management system.
* Pubtech Multitack, from Austin Tx-based Publishing Technologies, Inc., is a text and graphics clipboard-style database for Windows 3.0 graphics programs.
* Q+E 2.5, from Pioneer Software Raleigh, NC), is a graphical database query tool that functions either alone or as a server for other DDE applications.
* Scrapbook+ 2.0, from Eikon Systems Foster City, CA), is an image, text, and data management system.
* SQLvision, from Menlo Park, Ca-based Gupta Technologies, Inc., integrates Eve SQLbase or DB2 data with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
* SQLwindows, also from Gupta Technologies, Inc., is a graphical SQL development environment for Windows.
* Superbase 2, from Precision Software, Inc. Irving, TX), is an easy access tool for DBASE and native Superbase database files.
* Superbase 4, also from Precision Software, Inc., is a fully programable relational database management system. Functionally, the package is a superset of Superbase 2.
* Superbase 4 Network Extension, from Precision Software, Inc., extends Superbase 4 functionality to networks and workgroups.
* Thinx, from Silver Spring, Md-based Bell Atlantic, is an integrated image and database management system. -- Doug Laedtke
Source Citation
Laedtke, Doug. "Windows watch." Personal Workstation 3.4 (1991): 10. General OneFile. Web. 3 Nov. 2010.
Document URL
http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A10580226&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=18551_mcpls&version=1.0
Gale Document Number:A10580226
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