As someone thinking of purchasing a Tablet PC could anyone briefly tell me
How Windows XP TE handles bog standard software? In particular I need to use
my accounts package and be mobile, stood up on a trade stand (for inputting
customer orders etc etc).

Many thanks
Richard Pask - UK

The answer varies. For example, the TextFields in Internet Explorer are
hooked up to elicit the Tablet Input Panel, but the TextFields in FireFox
are not. It is not just a Microsoft versus others question - for example,
the TextFields in Sun's Java are hooked up to elicit the Tablet Input Panel
but the TextFields in Microsoft's ancient but current Java do so
inconsistently.

Strangely one can't test the desired software app using a regular computer
and a drawing pad with third-party software such as RitePen because
TextField input seems to work fine in those situations in which the Tablet
Input Panel does not appear. It is unclear why Microsoft's Tablet Input
Panel does not do as well. I wonder if this is why some tiny Windows
computers such as the Sony U750P:
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...ebookComputers
which came out today, uses regular Windows XP and the RitePen software.

"Richard P" <RichardP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8AA927D2-C668-4999-96D4-E0E8C06701F6@microsoft.com...
> As someone thinking of purchasing a Tablet PC could anyone briefly tell me
> How Windows XP TE handles bog standard software? In particular I need to
> use
> my accounts package and be mobile, stood up on a trade stand (for
> inputting
> customer orders etc etc).

Richard P wrote:
> As someone thinking of purchasing a Tablet PC could anyone briefly tell me
> How Windows XP TE handles bog standard software? In particular I need to use
> my accounts package and be mobile, stood up on a trade stand (for inputting
> customer orders etc etc).

It's a superset of Windows XP Pro, so anything as bog-standard as ana
ccoutns package should not be able to tell the difference.

Many thanks for your helpful and rapid reply

Richard Pask

"Mike Williams [MVP]" wrote:

> Richard P wrote:
> > As someone thinking of purchasing a Tablet PC could anyone briefly tell me
> > How Windows XP TE handles bog standard software? In particular I need to use
> > my accounts package and be mobile, stood up on a trade stand (for inputting
> > customer orders etc etc).
>
> It's a superset of Windows XP Pro, so anything as bog-standard as ana
> ccoutns package should not be able to tell the difference.
>

Many thanks for your helpful and rapid reply

Richard Pask

"Mickey Segal" wrote:

> The answer varies. For example, the TextFields in Internet Explorer are
> hooked up to elicit the Tablet Input Panel, but the TextFields in FireFox
> are not. It is not just a Microsoft versus others question - for example,
> the TextFields in Sun's Java are hooked up to elicit the Tablet Input Panel
> but the TextFields in Microsoft's ancient but current Java do so
> inconsistently.
>
> Strangely one can't test the desired software app using a regular computer
> and a drawing pad with third-party software such as RitePen because
> TextField input seems to work fine in those situations in which the Tablet
> Input Panel does not appear. It is unclear why Microsoft's Tablet Input
> Panel does not do as well. I wonder if this is why some tiny Windows
> computers such as the Sony U750P:
> http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...ebookComputers
> which came out today, uses regular Windows XP and the RitePen software.
>
> "Richard P" <RichardP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8AA927D2-C668-4999-96D4-E0E8C06701F6@microsoft.com...
> > As someone thinking of purchasing a Tablet PC could anyone briefly tell me
> > How Windows XP TE handles bog standard software? In particular I need to
> > use
> > my accounts package and be mobile, stood up on a trade stand (for
> > inputting
> > customer orders etc etc).
>
>
>

XP Tablet will perform the same as regular XP if a keyboard and mouse are
used. However, it seemed that the original poster was wondering how
existing programs will do with pen input. It is possible that his
application software will work properly under XP Tablet. however, it is
also possible that he will need a pen computer running regular XP plus
RitePen handwriting recognition.

If RitePen can deal with the address TextField in FireFox, why is XP Tablet
unable to do so?

"Mike Williams [MVP]" <mikew@Nospam.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:41AE8AB7.8020303@Nospam.mvps.org...
> It's a superset of Windows XP Pro, so anything as bog-standard as ana
> ccoutns package should not be able to tell the difference.

Please don't compare the digital Ink on a Tablet PC with the RitePen or
writing pad functions, Mickey. Pens on Tablets work with digitizing in the
screen, and are not a third-party add-on. The reason "some" programs don't
work properly is they are not programmed to identify the text input area
with context tagging. They're getting to that point, but some are lagging.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone


"Mickey Segal" <ignored@example.com> wrote in message
news:OTpaR%23G2EHA.924@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> XP Tablet will perform the same as regular XP if a keyboard and mouse are
> used. However, it seemed that the original poster was wondering how
> existing programs will do with pen input. It is possible that his
> application software will work properly under XP Tablet. however, it is
> also possible that he will need a pen computer running regular XP plus
> RitePen handwriting recognition.
>
> If RitePen can deal with the address TextField in FireFox, why is XP
> Tablet unable to do so?
>
> "Mike Williams [MVP]" <mikew@Nospam.mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:41AE8AB7.8020303@Nospam.mvps.org...
>> It's a superset of Windows XP Pro, so anything as bog-standard as ana
>> ccoutns package should not be able to tell the difference.
>
>

Mickey Segal wrote:
> XP Tablet will perform the same as regular XP if a keyboard and mouse are
> used. However, it seemed that the original poster was wondering how
> existing programs will do with pen input. It is possible that his
> application software will work properly under XP Tablet. however, it is
> also possible that he will need a pen computer running regular XP plus
> RitePen handwriting recognition.
>
> If RitePen can deal with the address TextField in FireFox, why is XP Tablet
> unable to do so?

My *guess* is that Firefox has skipped over the platform-specific
Windows Accessibility hooks[1] that Tablet and other programs would use,
while RitePen are using another mechanism to track the location.

[1] So there is a wider class of programs that fail with Firefox

One of the problems of introducing a new platform such as XP Tablet is that
users will not adopt the platform until their applications work, and many
software writers will not configure their applications for the new platform
until it is in wide use.

RitePen seems to have a way around this problem, claiming that RitePen
allows "instant entry into any Windows application"
(http://www.evernote.com/en/downloads/#ritePen). I don't know how RitePen
recognizes the address TextField of FireFox as a field suitable for
inserting text, but it works. It seems likely that RitePen will also work
for the software needed by the original poster.

To decide to buy a Tablet PC, the original poster may need to find a Tablet
PC running his needed software, which is not easy when Tablet PCs are not in
wide use. To decide to buy the Sony U750P with RitePen software, the
original poster needs merely to believe RitePen's claim or needs to borrow a
digitizing pad and download the trial version of Rite Pen.

The inability of the XP Tablet to recognize TextFields such as the address
field in FireFox may be an important factor in reducing demand for Tablet
PCs and reducing adoption of XP Tablet by hardware companies such as Sony.
The rule of thumb is that Microsoft gets things right on the third try -
perhaps a better ability to recognize legacy TextFields will be part of that
third try.

"Mike Williams [MVP]" <mikew@Nospam.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:41AF1A9C.1020009@Nospam.mvps.org...
> My *guess* is that Firefox has skipped over the platform-specific Windows
> Accessibility hooks[1] that Tablet and other programs would use, while
> RitePen are using another mechanism to track the location.

Mickey, the capabilities of the Tablet PC are there to "recognize" any field
in any program which is properly written. The Firefox browser you cited,
has been developed since the Tablets came out a little over two years ago,
but they've chosen not to write the proper hooks into the program. Is that
the Tablet's fault, or the programmers?

A lot of programs, including Microsoft's own Office (XP or the 2002
versions) didn't work until Microsoft came up with the Tablet Pack which set
that stuff in motion. That version came before Tablets were on the market,
and now the Office 2003 version is much better.

I think you should be talking to people like the Firefox creators to get
their act together, since they're the ones lagging behind the technology.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone


"Mickey Segal" <ignored@example.com> wrote in message
news:O$s5RpH2EHA.2644@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> One of the problems of introducing a new platform such as XP Tablet is
> that users will not adopt the platform until their applications work, and
> many software writers will not configure their applications for the new
> platform until it is in wide use.
>
> RitePen seems to have a way around this problem, claiming that RitePen
> allows "instant entry into any Windows application"
> (http://www.evernote.com/en/downloads/#ritePen). I don't know how RitePen
> recognizes the address TextField of FireFox as a field suitable for
> inserting text, but it works. It seems likely that RitePen will also work
> for the software needed by the original poster.
>
> To decide to buy a Tablet PC, the original poster may need to find a
> Tablet PC running his needed software, which is not easy when Tablet PCs
> are not in wide use. To decide to buy the Sony U750P with RitePen
> software, the original poster needs merely to believe RitePen's claim or
> needs to borrow a digitizing pad and download the trial version of Rite
> Pen.
>
> The inability of the XP Tablet to recognize TextFields such as the address
> field in FireFox may be an important factor in reducing demand for Tablet
> PCs and reducing adoption of XP Tablet by hardware companies such as Sony.
> The rule of thumb is that Microsoft gets things right on the third try -
> perhaps a better ability to recognize legacy TextFields will be part of
> that third try.
>
> "Mike Williams [MVP]" <mikew@Nospam.mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:41AF1A9C.1020009@Nospam.mvps.org...
>> My *guess* is that Firefox has skipped over the platform-specific Windows
>> Accessibility hooks[1] that Tablet and other programs would use, while
>> RitePen are using another mechanism to track the location.
>
>

It is great to have some of the advanced TextField hooks in XP Tablet 2005,
such as the ability to recognize a browser address field as one for which
extra TIP buttons such as "www" should appear. But it would also be good to
have a better ability to deal with pre-existing software, as does RitePen.
The ability to use pre-existing software is crucial to getting a new
operating system "over the hump" into wide acceptance.

Someone at OQO told me that OQO avoided XP Tablet because their testers
preferred regular XP plus RitePen, though OQO didn't say why they preferred
RitePen. If the reason is that RitePen allowed them to use their existing
applications that would have a clear message to Microsoft about the need for
backward compatibility. I see that RitePen says their software works with
XP Tablet (http://www.evernote.com/en/downloads/#ritePen). Would this
combination be a good interim solution for the original poster?

Interestingly, Microsoft was great about backward compatibility of the
Tablet PC environment for Java, where input from the pen was tagged as
KeyEvents, allowing pre-existing software to run with no adjustments (though
there is a problem with the TIP sometimes not appearing in Java TextFields,
as detailed at www.segal.org/java/tablet_events/). In contrast, Sun took
the purist approach of tagging input only as TextEvents, which required
extensive re-writing of pre-existing software as detailed at
www.segal.org/java/tablet_events2/,
www.segal.org/java/tablet_events3/ and www.segal.org/java/text_events/.

"Chris H." <winxpnews********.com> wrote in message
news:OcP313H2EHA.2824@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> A lot of programs, including Microsoft's own Office (XP or the 2002
> versions) didn't work until Microsoft came up with the Tablet Pack which
> set that stuff in motion. That version came before Tablets were on the
> market, and now the Office 2003 version is much better.

I don't yet own a Tablet PC, but I am planning to get one. With that
said, here's my two cents.... I stopped using RitePen for entering URLs
because I had to correct and re-correct after recognition (removing
spaces and more). For other text input it works fine and I use it often.
I am not using it in separate letter mode, perhaps that would make it
better (I think I'll try that).

In addition, When I tried TabletPlanner 3.0, it automatically brought up
an input panel on text windows selection (I don't know if it was a
proprietary TIP or the same as that provided by the Windows XP Tablet PC
). After upgraded to the PlannerPlus Trial, I noticed the TIP was no
longer working or perhaps removed. That is where RitePen comes in.

Perhaps the Tablet PC provide additional hints about what type of data
is expected in the text boxes (such as numerical field only.....).
That's really good if it does.

I wonder what the context tagging tool does....

L4CES



Chris H. wrote:
> Mickey, the capabilities of the Tablet PC are there to "recognize" any field
> in any program which is properly written. The Firefox browser you cited,
> has been developed since the Tablets came out a little over two years ago,
> but they've chosen not to write the proper hooks into the program. Is that
> the Tablet's fault, or the programmers?
>
> A lot of programs, including Microsoft's own Office (XP or the 2002
> versions) didn't work until Microsoft came up with the Tablet Pack which set
> that stuff in motion. That version came before Tablets were on the market,
> and now the Office 2003 version is much better.
>
> I think you should be talking to people like the Firefox creators to get
> their act together, since they're the ones lagging behind the technology.

Basic understanding here of context tagging: The input idea is identified
for the content, and as such it reveals itself for the proper application of
input via Ink. There's good technical information regarding the Software
Development Kit (including context tagging) in an article here:
http://www.devx.com/TabletPC/Article/20961
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone


"L4CES" <L4CES@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:epyCUnI2EHA.1144@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>I don't yet own a Tablet PC, but I am planning to get one. With that said,
>here's my two cents.... I stopped using RitePen for entering URLs because I
>had to correct and re-correct after recognition (removing spaces and more).
>For other text input it works fine and I use it often. I am not using it in
>separate letter mode, perhaps that would make it better (I think I'll try
>that).
>
> In addition, When I tried TabletPlanner 3.0, it automatically brought up
> an input panel on text windows selection (I don't know if it was a
> proprietary TIP or the same as that provided by the Windows XP Tablet
> PC ). After upgraded to the PlannerPlus Trial, I noticed the TIP was no
> longer working or perhaps removed. That is where RitePen comes in.
>
> Perhaps the Tablet PC provide additional hints about what type of data is
> expected in the text boxes (such as numerical field only.....). That's
> really good if it does.
>
> I wonder what the context tagging tool does....
>
> L4CES
>
>
>
> Chris H. wrote:
>> Mickey, the capabilities of the Tablet PC are there to "recognize" any
>> field in any program which is properly written. The Firefox browser you
>> cited, has been developed since the Tablets came out a little over two
>> years ago, but they've chosen not to write the proper hooks into the
>> program. Is that the Tablet's fault, or the programmers?
>>
>> A lot of programs, including Microsoft's own Office (XP or the 2002
>> versions) didn't work until Microsoft came up with the Tablet Pack which
>> set that stuff in motion. That version came before Tablets were on the
>> market, and now the Office 2003 version is much better.
>>
>> I think you should be talking to people like the Firefox creators to get
>> their act together, since they're the ones lagging behind the technology.

I like the TIP in XP Tablet over RitePen because of the ability to correct
entries easily and the ability to add terms to the Tablet dictionary, even
complex terms such a frequently used Web addresses, using the Dictionary
Tool PowerToy:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d.../tabletpc.mspx
We use this feature to allow users of our software to import 1400 medical
terms used by the software.

However, I also like the ability of the RitePen software to recognize
TextFields in legacy software not written with the accessibility hooks
needed for XP Tablet's TIP.

Combining both would be great.

"L4CES" <L4CES@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:epyCUnI2EHA.1144@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> I stopped using RitePen for entering URLs because I had to correct and
> re-correct after recognition (removing spaces and more). For other text
> input it works fine and I use it often. I am not using it in separate
> letter mode, perhaps that would make it better (I think I'll try that).

In article <OXG0gDH2EHA.1264@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl>,
winxpnews********.com says...
> Please don't compare the digital Ink on a Tablet PC with the RitePen or
> writing pad functions, Mickey. Pens on Tablets work with digitizing in the
> screen, and are not a third-party add-on. The reason "some" programs don't
> work properly is they are not programmed to identify the text input area
> with context tagging. They're getting to that point, but some are lagging.
>

However, some applications will never identify the text input area
correctly due to either a lack of knowledge of tablets or a lack of
current development (or a lack of demand).
Some of those applications may be crucial to peoples use of the
computer.
Firefox wasn't a problem when the pre-SP2 floating tip option still
existed, and is only now a problem, so maybe having that back as an
option (only as an option, I prefer the in-place tip when it is working)
would help with that software that will never be converted.

Its easy to pick out firefox as being 'badly written' in this regard,
but Command Prompt comes with every tabletPC, is written by Microsoft
and isn't recognised by the tip either.

--
Woody