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
167
Timeline span
1987 — 2007
Recorded events
1472 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 167 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
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
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Architectural Reference - Volume I (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Architectural Reference – Volume I
EO, Incorporated 1993
EO, Inc. - Personal Communicator 440 Order Form Letter (John Jerney)

EO, Inc. – Personal Communicator 440 Letter and Order Form (John Jerney)
EO, Incorporated 1993
EO Inc - Personal Communicator 440 Order Form Letter (March, 1993)

EO, Inc. – Personal Communicator 440 Letter and Order Form
EO, Incorporated 1993
EO, Inc. - Personal Communicator 440/880 Brochure - Photocopy (Front)

EO, Inc. – Personal Communicator 440/880 Brochure (Photocopy)
WPDO 1993
Worldwide PenPoint Developers Organization - Available Videotapes - July 8, 1993 (Page 1)

Worldwide PenPoint Developers Organization – Available Videotapes (July 8, 1993)

A chronology.

1987 — 2007 Selected from the museum's 1472 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.
1993Software
Ink Development Pen Software for AT&T EO Personal Communicator will be Sold on SunDisk Flash Storage Cards
SunDisk Corp. and Ink Development Corp. Wednesday signed an agreement under which Ink's notetaking application, InkWare NoteTaker, for the AT&T EO 440…
1994Organization
Apple Offers the Newton Power Organizer Pack Free to New MessagePad Purchasers
A $250 retail value, the Newton Power Organizer Pack features two StarCore software applications -- Notion: The Newton List Manager and ExpensePlus…
1998Hardware
Qualcomm Eyes 1999 ‘Smart’ Phone Launch
Qualcomm Inc. showcases its "smart" phone, which incorporates elements of both a CDMA-based handset and a personal organizer.
1999Communications
RAM MOBILE DATA 3Com Palm Joins RAM Despatcher Off-the-shelf Fixed Fee Mobile Data Portfolio
Under a reseller agreement with RAM Business Partner, dcs, RAM is to add the best selling 3Com Palm pocket-sized data terminal to…
2000Organization
Center for Innovative Learning Technologies and Palm Computing Honor Winners of Educational Software Contest via Live Webcast
SRI International, The Concord Consortium, Palm Computing, Handspring, Learnlots, and Puma Technology host award ceremony at the San Francisco Exploratorium for winners…
2003Organization
Survey: Physicians Using Handheld Computers Can Provide Better Care, Though Integration With the Enterprise Is Slow
Skyscape survey reports increasing PDA use can prevent more than $100 million in medical errors.

The collection.

Browse 167 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    DE

    Development

    9 items →
    WI

    Windows

    3 items →
    IW

    IDG Books Worldwide

    1 item →
    KE

    Keyboard

    1 item →
    CO

    3Com

    4 items →
    RM

    Regis McKenna

    2 items →
    LE

    Lexicus

    4 items →
    PE

    PenWorld

    4 items →
    FU

    Fujtisu

    5 items →
    JE

    Jonathan Erickson

    7 items →
    ZO

    Zoomer

    2 items →
    AP

    Apple

    14 items →
    OU

    Olivetti Office USA

    1 item →
    GS

    GRiD Systems

    1 item →

    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 – 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
    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.

    Powered by
    ►
    Necessary cookies enable essential site features like secure log-ins and consent preference adjustments. They do not store personal data.
    None
    ►
    Functional cookies support features like content sharing on social media, collecting feedback, and enabling third-party tools.
    None
    ►
    Analytical cookies track visitor interactions, providing insights on metrics like visitor count, bounce rate, and traffic sources.
    None
    ►
    Advertisement cookies deliver personalized ads based on your previous visits and analyze the effectiveness of ad campaigns.
    None
    Powered by