Pen-Based Computing History Museum
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
143
Timeline span
1987 — 2007
Recorded events
1200 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.

Explore →

Featured artifacts.

From the collection 18 recently catalogued objects, drawn from 143 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
GO Corporation 1993
GO Corporation - Catalog of Products and Services (Letter)

GO Corporation – Catalog of Products and Services (Letter)

GO Corporation
Eidetic, Inc. 1994
Eidetic, Inc. Notion: The Newton List Manager User Manual

Notion: The Newton List Manager User Manual

Eidetic, Inc. · Apple
Metrowerks, Inc. 1996
Metrowerks CodeWarrior Tools for Pilot Package (Front)

Metrowerks CodeWarrior for Pilot (Package)

Metrowerks, Inc. · Case
General Magic, Inc. 1996
General Magic Visitor's Badge (John Jerney, 10/25/96)

General Magic Visitor’s Badge (John Jerney, 10/25/1996)

General Magic, Inc. · General Magic
ParaGraph International, Inc. 1997
ParaGraph International, Inc. CalliGrapher 5.0 for Windows CE Disk (Front)

ParaGraph International, Inc. – CalliGrapher 5.0 for Windows CE (Disk)

ParaGraph International, Inc. · Disk
GO Corporation 1992
GO Corporation - GO Fax Brochure (Front Cover)

GO Corporation – GO Fax Brochure

GO Corporation · Brochure
Apple Computer, Inc. 1994
Apple eWorld (Stickers)

Apple eWorld (Stickers)

Apple Computer, Inc. · Apple
Texas Microsystems, Inc. 1995
Texas Micro – The Soldier’s Computer (Brochure)

Texas Micro – The Soldier’s Computer (Brochure)

Texas Microsystems, Inc. · Brochure
Horizon House Publications, Inc. 1994
Microwave Journal – January 1994 (Cover)

Microwave Journal – January 1994

Horizon House Publications, Inc. · In Collection
Apple Computer, Inc. 1994
Apple Newton MessagePad – Getting Through the Day … (Brochure) – 1

Apple Newton MessagePad Getting Through the Day … (Brochure)

Apple Computer, Inc. · Apple
Avail Technology, Inc. 1994
Avail Technology – Free TapWorks Software Coupon (Front)

Avail Technology Free TapWorks Software (Coupon)

Avail Technology, Inc. · Avail Technologies
Peterborough, Inc. 1987
Portable 100 Magazine – September 1987 (Cover)

Portable 100 – September 1987

Peterborough, Inc. · In Collection
Mobile Insights, Inc. 1995
Mobile Insights ’95 Conference (Side 1)

Mobile Insights ’95 Conference (Brochure)

Mobile Insights, Inc. · Brochure
MicroDesign Resources 1995
Microprocessor Report – February 16,1995 (Cover)

Microprocessor Report – February 16, 1995

MicroDesign Resources · In Collection
Pen Computing Magazine 1997
Pen Computing Magazine – December 1997 (Cover)

Pen Computing Magazine – December 1997

Pen Computing Magazine · In Collection
Pen Computing Magazine 2000
Pen Computing Magazine – November 2000 (Cover)

Pen Computing Magazine – November 2000

Pen Computing Magazine · In Collection
Pen Computing Magazine 1999
Pen Computing Magazine – Fall 1999 Buyer’s Guide (Cover)

Pen Computing Magazine Fall 1999 Buyers Guide

Pen Computing Magazine · In Collection
Pen Computing Magazine 1998
Pen Computing Magazine – April 1998 (Cover)

Pen Computing Magazine – April 1998

Pen Computing Magazine · In Collection

A chronology.

1987 — 2007 Selected from the museum's 1200 catalogued timeline events.
View full timeline
1987Hardware
GO Corporation Founded by Jerry Kaplan, Robert Carr, and Kevin Doren
August 14, 1987 — No press release was issued.
1989Hardware
GRiD Introduces PC-Compatible Computer that Recognizes Printed Handwriting
GRiD Systems Corp. introduces GRiDPad, a computer so light it can be held in one hand and used while standing or walking.
1991Software
GO Corp. Announces 40 Third-Party Developers and Technology Providers
GO Corp. announces an expanded roster of 35 new companies that have publicly committed to develop for or provide technology for its…
1997Organization
Apple’s 20th Anniversary Macintosh and eMate Products Receive Prestigious Design Awards
I.D. Magazine's annual design review spotlights Apple as best of category among this year's consumer product entries.
1999Software
3Com and Franklin Covey Deliver New Training Programs Based on Franklin Covey Training Concepts and Palm Computing Platform
3Com Corporation and Franklin Covey announce they will work together to deliver corporate training courses based on the industry-leading Palm Computing platform…
2001Hardware
IBM Debuts the ThinkPad TransNote at the Mobile Insights Conference
ThinkPad TransNote provides a solution for highly mobile users who are looking to combine pen and paper with a mobile computer.
2002Software
Metrowerks Ships the First Development Tools for Symbian OS V7.0
CodeWarrior Tools support system software and application development for the next generation of mobile phones based on Symbian OS.

The collection.

Browse 143 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    ID

    Internal Document

    1 item →
    EI

    Eidetic

    4 items →
    YI

    Young Ideas

    3 items →
    NB

    Nicholas Baran

    7 items →
    CO

    3Com

    4 items →
    LE

    Letter

    2 items →
    CA

    Cassiopeia

    1 item →
    TA

    Tablet

    2 items →
    FR

    Franklin

    2 items →
    ZO

    Zoomer

    2 items →
    JA

    Japan

    1 item →
    SO

    Sony

    1 item →
    MA

    Maquette

    4 items →
    BO

    Book

    8 items →

    Pen-Based Computing,
    the newsletter.

    Eight volumes · Sixty five issues The original newsletter — every issue digitized in full (soon).
    Pen-Based Computing – May, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 2

    Volume 1 · Issue 02 Pen-Based Computing – May, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 2

    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
    Pen-Based Computing – November 11, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 6

    Volume 1 · Issue 06 Pen-Based Computing – November 11, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 6

    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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