Pen-based Software: A Mixed Bag At Comdex

From end-user apps to developer’s tools

If you wanted to see the latest in pen-based software at Comdex, you had two or three options: you could meander around the floor, or you could go straight to Microsoft’s special Windows for Pen Computing exhibit area or to the GO room just off the main floor. Both in our visits to the booths at Comdex and in the summary below, we made an effort to cover every vendor showing their products. We apologize if anyone was overlooked.

In the vertical application category, Hansen Software (Sacramento, CA), a pioneer in pen-based software (first with the GridPad and now with PenWindows), continues to turn out impressive, complex special-purpose engineering applications, exhibiting at Comdex it’s Field GIS (geographical information system) software running under PenWindows. Also impressive was ADP Automotive Claims Services’ (San Ramon, CA) Audapoint collision estimating software with its illustration database with touch interactive parts. These intelligent images — assemblies, subassemblies, and components of virtually every car model on the road today — are linked to various collision and repair estimating tools. Additionally, the software provides access to the ARDIS network via RF transmission. Both Hansen and ADP plan to come out with PenPoint versions in about a year.

One horizontal app we were particularly glad to see running on a pen-based system was CorelDraw (Corel Systems, Ottawa, Ontario), a powerful graphics creation tool, running under PenWindows. Ditto for Delrina Technology’s (San Jose, CA) PerForm Pro Fillers data entry form running under PenWindows. This is a forms creation tool which can access data in DBF (dBASE) format. The Delrina product is an excellent example of a how a general-purpose tool can be used in a vertical application. In the same vein, Logica Data Architect’s (Waltham, MA) Forms Manager was also running under PenWindows. The product is “database independent,” allowing the designer to specify the database subsystem.

In the personal information manager (PIM) category: Campbell Services (Southfield, MI) was exhibiting a PenWindows version of its OnTime for Windows, NewQuest Technologies (Salt Lake City, UT) was showing Ascend; H.M. Hinsch & Co. (New York, NY) was showing Pimster; On the Go Software (Marina del Rey, CA) showed Expense It!, an expense report manager for PenWindows, and Polaris Software (Escondido, CA) displayed PackRat. Similarly, PenSoft (San Mateo, CA) was showing its PIM in the GO booth.

Also in GO’s PenPoint area, Notable Technologies (Berkeley, CA) was demoing PenCrush, a file compression utility, PenCalc, a spreadsheet for PenPoint, and PenComm, a telecommunications program. In the same area, Ink Development (San Mateo, CA) was showing its “inking” sketch program and Slate (Scottsdale, AZ) its PenApp and PenBook applications. Pensee Corp. (Scottsdale, AZ) showed an “intelligent note paper” product running under PenPoint, and Sitka (Alameda, CA) showed its PenTops networking software for PenPoint.

As for development tools, Grid Systems (Fremont, CA) had its PenRight! Pro SDK, a toolset for C programmers that includes forms creation tools, a resource toolkit, and recognition tools. PenWare (San Jose, CA), a new entry into pen-based software, was demoing its PenCell, the spreadsheet bundled with the Momenta Computer. They told us efforts are underway for porting PenCell to PenWindows and PenPoint.