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
160
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.

Explore →

Featured artifacts.

From the collection 18 recently catalogued objects, drawn from 160 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
Book 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)
EO, Incorporated 1993
EO, Inc. - Pen Expo Attendee Letter (August 26, 1993)

EO, Inc. – Pen Expo Attendee Letter (August 26, 1993)
EO, Incorporated 1993
EO, Inc. - Introducing the EO Personal Communicator Brochure (Front)

EO, Inc. – Introducing the EO Personal Communicator (Brochure)
PenMagic Software Inc. 1993
PenMagic LetterExpress 1.1 Product-Fact Sheet (Front)

PenMagic LetterExpress 1.1 (Product Fact Sheet)
PenMagic Software Inc. 1993
PenMagic LetterExpress 1.1 Upgrade Letter (Front)

PenMagic Ships Upgrade to LetterExpress (Press Release)
WPDO 1993
WPDO Meeting Improvement Questionnaire (February 11, 1993)

WPDO Meeting Improvement Questionnaire (February 11, 1993)
GO Corporation 1993
GO Corporation - Catalog of Products and Services (Letter)

GO Corporation – Catalog of Products and Services (Letter)

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.
1989Hardware
GRiD Introduces PC-Compatible Computer that Recognizes Printed Handwriting
GRiD Systems Corp. introduces GRiDPad, a computer so light it can be held in one hand and used while standing or walking.
1991Hardware
Kellogg Edges Out Competition Using GRiDPAD Computers
Kellogg, the cereals company, equips its retail sales reps with state-of-the art, pen-and-display GRiDPAD computers from GRiD Systems Corp.
1992Hardware
GRiD Systems Introduces “Convertible” Notebook/Pen Computer
The GRiD Convertible is a combination notebook and pen computer that quickly converts into a state-of-the-art notebook computer from a state-of-the-art tablet…
1993Software
Peripheral Vision Ships PenOp
The first utility, PenOp/MAS (Machine Access Security) restricts pen computer access to a pre-defined list of users by asking them literally to…
1998Organization
Smartcode’s Titles for the Palm Computing Platform to Be Distributed by GT Interactive Affiliate Program
GT Interactive Software Corp. announces that is has reached a North American sales and distribution agreement with Smartcode Software, Inc. for the…
2001Software
Motorola and Webhelp Create Application to Simplify and Personalize Wireless Internet Searches
The two companies agree to co-develop and market an application for personal digital assistants (PDAs) that gives consumers the ability to request…

The collection.

Browse 160 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    KE

    Keyboard

    1 item →
    MO

    Motorola

    6 items →
    PP

    Pilot Island Publishing

    1 item →
    TD

    Technical Document

    14 items →
    DI

    Disk

    2 items →
    YI

    Young Ideas

    3 items →
    JE

    Jonathan Erickson

    7 items →
    IB

    IBM

    1 item →
    NB

    Nicholas Baran

    7 items →
    UN

    University

    1 item →
    HM

    Handheld Systems Magazine

    2 items →
    WC

    Windows for Pen Computing

    5 items →
    BR

    Brochure

    8 items →
    FT

    France Telecom

    3 items →

    Pen-Based Computing,
    the newsletter.

    Eight volumes · Sixty five issues The original newsletter — every issue digitized in full (soon).
    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 – May, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 2

    Volume 1 · Issue 02 Pen-Based Computing – May, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 2

    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.

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