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From: smh@mit-eddie.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Question on the mouse, comments abou - (nf)
Message-ID: <387@mit-eddi.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Jul-83 00:02:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.387
Posted: Sun Jul 10 00:02:18 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Jul-83 02:47:32 EDT
References: <800@pur-phy.UUCP>
Lines: 19

The question is why lightpens are not more used, as pointing
to the screen seems more natural.

Alas, it really isn't.  Tape a piece of paper to your present CRT
screen and try writing on it.  Try the same thing on a piece of
paper placed normally on your desk.  The point is that it is very
awkward writing or doing detailed pointing with your arm suspended
in midair.  (It can also be very tiring, as we academic types who
do a lot of blackboard work can attest.)  Lastly, performing a
quick point takes far longer as the pen must be located, picked up,
used, and put down again.  A mouse is usually already sitting on
its working surface when you want it.

Perhaps these problems with lightpens could be fixed if someone would
make a CRT with a tube built into a desk top (plexiglass cover, etc.)...
The end device would have zero footprint when it wasn't being used!

				Steve Haflich
				genrad!mit-eddie!smh