Under Construction
2026 / SUMMER EXHIBITION
GCFeatured Exhibition

GO Corporation
and the Vision of
Pen-Based Computing

GO Corporation's PenPoint, released in 1991, was the first operating system designed from the ground up for pen input rather than keyboard — pioneering gesture commands, embedded handwriting recognition, and a notebook metaphor that would echo through every stylus and touch system that followed.

GO Corporation and the Vision of Pen-Based Computing
Now on view
Permanent collection
Artifacts
Approx. 30,000
Catalogued
172
Timeline span
1987 — 2007
Recorded events
1909 milestones

Exhibitions
now on view.

One Special Exhibition Drawn directly from the museum's collection of artifacts, magazines, and primary documents.
GC Featured Exhibition
Under Construction GO Corporation and the Vision of Pen-Based Computing

GO Corporation and the Vision of Pen-Based Computing

GO Corporation's PenPoint, released in 1991, was the first operating system designed from the ground up for pen input rather than keyboard — pioneering gesture commands, embedded handwriting recognition, and a notebook metaphor that would echo through every stylus and touch system that followed.

Featured artifacts.

From the collection 18 recently catalogued objects, drawn from 172 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
aha! software corporation 1994
aha! software corp. - InkWriter 2.0 for Windows Brochure (Front)

aha! software corporation – InkWriter 2.0 for Windows (Brochure)
Communication Intelligence Corp. 1997
Communication Intelligence Corp. - QuickNotes 2.0 Windows CE User's Guide (Cover)

Communication Intelligence Corp. – QuickNotes 2.0 Package Windows CE (Shrinkwrapped)
Communication Intelligence Corp. 1997
Communication Intelligence Corp. - QuickNotes 2.0 Windows CE User's Guide (Cover)

Communication Intelligence Corp. – QuickNotes 2.0 (Windows CE)
AllPen Software, Inc.
AllPen Software Inc. -Company Brochure (Cover)

AllPen Software, Inc. – Company Brochure
Metrowerks, Inc. 1997
Metrowerks, Inc. - Metrowerks to Support Windows CE 2.0 Press Release (Page 1)

Metrowerks, Inc. – Metrowerks to Support Windows CE 2.0 (Press Release)
PenMagic Software Inc. 1993
PenMagic Numero 2.0 Product Fact Sheet (Front)

PenMagic Numero 2.0 (Product Fact Sheet)
Creative Digital, Inc. 1997
Creative Digital - The Handheld Computer Almanac (Cover)

The Handheld Computer Almanac
Software Partners, Inc. 1994
Software Partners, Inc. - FreeStyle Version 1.0 Package (Front)

Software Partners, Inc. – FreeStyle Version 1.0 (Magic Cap)
PenWorld, Incorporated 1994
Personal Electronics News - Issue 16 - March/April 1994 (Cover)

Personal Electronics News, Issue 16, March/April 1994
aha! software corporation 1994
aha! InkWriter for Windows 2.0 Quick Reference (Cover)

aha! InkWriter 2.0 for Windows Quick Reference
Palmtop Publications 1997
Palmtop Journal - Issue 12 (Cover)

Palmtop – Issue 12
GO Corporation 1994
Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure - Jerry Kaplan (Cover)

Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure Story
aha! software corporation 1993
aha! InkWriter Handbook - PenPoint (Cover)

aha InkWriter Handbook (PenPoint)
GO Corporation 1992
GO Corporation - Using PenPoint (Cover)

GO Corporation – Using PenPoint
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Architectural Reference Volume II (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Architectural Reference – Volume II
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint User Interface Design Reference (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint User Interface Design Reference
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Application Writing Guide (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Application Writing Guide
GO Corporation 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Development Tools (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Development Tools

A chronology.

1987 — 2007 Selected from the museum's 1909 catalogued timeline events.
View full timeline
1987Software
New Handwriter by Communication Intelligence Allows Computer Input Without Typing
Called the Handwriter, the new system opens the world of computing to persons who can't or won't type. Users need not to…
1990Organization
Hastings & Humble Becomes Independent, Changes Name, Moves to Larger Offices
Hastings, Humble, Giardini & Freeman, the public relations firm for GO Corp., completes a management buyout.
1995Hardware
Harris/Dracon Teams with AllPen Software to Develop Mosaic-like Software for Telco Field Craft
The Dracon Division of Harris Corporation teams with AllPen Software to license software for use in Harris/Dracon's pen-based SuperTech 2000 Craft Digital…
1996Publication
Second Annual Mobility Awards Nominations Announced
Mobile Insights '96 Conference will honor the best products and services in mobile computing and wireless data communications.
1997Event
3Com PalmPilot Developer Conference Highlights Opportunities and Solutions for Market-Leading Handheld Computing Platform
AT&T Wireless, Metrowerks, Motorola, Novatel, Unwired Planet, Others Sponsor Milestone Event for Developers, Integrators and Resellers of PalmPilot Platform Solutions
2000Hardware
PocketScience Launches PocketMail BackFlip for Palm Computing Devices
The new device provides a fast, inexpensive and easy-to-use mobile e-mail solution for more than four million users of Palm Computing platform-based…
2002Event
Mobile Insights 2002 Event Highlights the Best in Mobile and Wireless
Unique one-day event next month in San Jose will provide networking forum for top entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

The collection.

Browse 172 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    OL

    Olivetti

    2 items →
    KE

    Keyboard

    1 item →
    YI

    Young Ideas

    3 items →
    RM

    Regis McKenna

    2 items →
    ME

    Metrowerks

    21 items →
    EM

    Ex Machina

    2 items →
    UD

    User Documentation

    12 items →
    FT

    France Telecom

    3 items →
    DE

    Development

    10 items →
    PP

    Press Package

    1 item →
    IN

    Intel 80386

    2 items →
    CA

    Casio

    3 items →
    WC

    Windows for Pen Computing

    5 items →
    HO

    Hobbit

    2 items →

    Pen-Based Computing,
    the newsletter.

    Eight volumes · Sixty five issues The original newsletter — every issue digitized in full (soon).
    Pen-Based Computing – November, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 5

    Volume 1 · Issue 05 Pen-Based Computing – November, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 5

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – August, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 4

    Volume 1 · Issue 04 Pen-Based Computing – August, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 4

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – June 20, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 3

    Volume 1 · Issue 03 Pen-Based Computing – June 20, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 3

    16 pp
    04 · Donate

    Donate an
    artifact.

    The museum collects hardware, software, manuals, photographs, marketing collateral, oral histories, and ephemera related to the early history of stylus-based computing.

    Learn how to donate →
    05 · Subscribe Coming Soon

    PBCHM
    Monthly.

    Learn about new acquisitions, recovered manuals, oral histories, and unearthed discoveries.

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