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
248
Timeline span
1987 — 2007
Recorded events
2001 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 objects selected at random, drawn from 248 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
MicroDesign Resources 1995
Microprocessor Report – February 16,1995 (Cover)

Microprocessor Report – February 16, 1995
Mobile Insights, Inc. 1995
Mobile Insights ’95 Conference (Side 1)

Mobile Insights ’95 Conference (Brochure)
Palmtop Publications 1997
Palmtop Journal - Issue 12 (Cover)

Palmtop – Issue 12
GO Corporation 1993

GO Corporation PenPointers June 1993 (Newsletter)
Volksware, Inc. 1996
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 6, Number 8 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – August, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 8
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 10 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – October, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 10
Peterborough, Inc. 1987
Portable 100 Magazine – September 1987 (Cover)

Portable 100 – September 1987
GO Corporation 1993
GO Corporation - Catalog of Products and Services (Letter)

GO Corporation – Catalog of Products and Services (Letter)
Creative Digital, Inc. 1994

PIE Developers – Volume 2.5 – September, 1994
Palmtop Publications 2000
Palmtop Journal – Issue 28 (Cover)

Palmtop – Issue 28
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 8 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – August, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 8
WPDO 1993
Worldwide PenPoint Developers Organization - Available Videotapes - July 8, 1993 (Page 1)

Worldwide PenPoint Developers Organization – Available Videotapes (July 8, 1993)
GeoWorks Corporation 1992
GeoWorks, Inc. - GEOS Software Development Kit Routines, Release 0.8 (Cover)

GeoWorks, Inc. – GEOS Software Development Kit Routines, Release 0.8 (Documentation)
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 3 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – March, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 3
Volksware, Inc. 1994
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 4, Number 4 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – May, 1994 – Volume 4, Number 4
Volksware, Inc. 1994
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 4, Number 6 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – July, 1994 – Volume 4, Number 6
Communication Intelligence Corp. 1997
Communication Intelligence Corp. - QuickNotes 2.0 Windows CE User's Guide (Cover)

Communication Intelligence Corp. – QuickNotes 2.0 (Windows CE)
PenWorld, Incorporated 1994
Personal Electronics News - Issue 17 - May/June 1994 (Cover)

Personal Electronics News, Issue 17, May/June 1994

A chronology.

1987 — 2007 Selected from the museum's 2001 catalogued timeline events.
View full timeline
1990Software
IBM and GO Announce Software Licensing Agreement, Intent to Develop Pen-Based Computer Systems
IBM and GO Corp. announces a software licensing agreement under which GO will provide IBM with software technology for the development of…
1991Software
Nantucket to Support GO’s Pen-Based Operating System
Nantucket Corp. announces its intent to support GO Corp.’s PenPoint operating system as part of the company’s multi-platform strategy.
1994Software
Education Research Laboratories, Inc. Announces Agreement with Apple Computers
Fort Worth-based Education Research Laboratories, Inc. announces the development and distribution of ERLI's medical reference series, developed specifically for Apple's Newton technology.
2001Communications
Parthus Launches MobiStream 2.5G Platform Combining Broadband Wireless Connectivity and Mobile Multimedia Functionality In a Ultra-Low Power Consumption Solution
3Com first licensee of Parthus MobiStream, offering low-power consumption GPRS solution.
2002Hardware
Security Biometrics Inc., Signs Agreement With Datadesk Technologies, Inc.
Datadesk's first product for handheld devices is the MiniKeyboard, a miniature keyboard that provides for easier and more efficient data entry in…
2004Organization
Survey: Psychiatrists Using Handheld Computers to Improve Quality of Patient Care
Skyscape survey finds key psychiatric reference use on PDAs helps reduce medical errors.
2007Hardware
Apple Reinvents the Phone With iPhone
Apple introduces iPhone, combining three products-a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with…

The collection.

Browse 248 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    ML

    Magic Link

    1 item →
    VO

    Volksware

    62 items →
    AD

    Addison-Wesley

    4 items →
    GS

    GRiD Systems

    1 item →
    DO

    Document

    39 items →
    HN

    Hnadspring

    1 item →
    UN

    University

    1 item →
    PE

    Periodical

    84 items →
    CO

    3Com

    4 items →
    ST

    Sticker

    1 item →
    WA

    WATCOM

    4 items →
    JJ

    John Jerney

    63 items →
    YI

    Young Ideas

    3 items →
    TA

    Tablet

    2 items →

    Pen-Based Computing,
    the newsletter.

    Eight volumes · Sixty five issues The original newsletter — every issue digitized in full (soon).
    View all issues
    Pen-Based Computing – January 22, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 1

    Volume 1 · Issue 01 Pen-Based Computing – January 22, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 1

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – December, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 12

    Volume 5 · Issue 12 Pen-Based Computing – December, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 12

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – January, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 1

    Volume 6 · Issue 01 Pen-Based Computing – January, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 1

    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

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    Monthly.

    Learn about new acquisitions, recovered manuals, oral histories, and unearthed discoveries.

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