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
249
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 249 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 12 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – December, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 12
Volksware, Inc. 1996
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 6, Number 7 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – July, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 7
Mobile Insights, Inc. 1995
Mobile Insights ’95 Conference (Side 1)

Mobile Insights ’95 Conference (Brochure)
AP Professional 1997

Programming for the Newton Using Windows (Book)
GeoWorks Corporation 1992
GeoWorks, Inc. - GEOS Software Development Kit Concepts - Volume 1, Release 0.8 (Cover)

GeoWorks, Inc. – GEOS Software Development Kit Concepts, Volume 1, Release 0.8 (Documentation)
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Architectural Reference - Volume I (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Architectural Reference – Volume I
Avail Technology, Inc. 1994

Avail Technology – GeoAssist (Newton)
Volksware, Inc. 1994
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 4, Number 6 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – July, 1994 – Volume 4, Number 6
GO Corporation 1992

GO Corporation Correspondence – Quick Start Program (April 2, 1992)
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 2 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – February, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 2
Young Ideas Software Design Services 1993

Young Ideas Software Design Services (Pamphlet)
GeoWorks Corporation 1992
GeoWorks, Inc. - GEOS Software Development Kit Objects - Volume 1, Release 0.8 (Cover)

GeoWorks, Inc. – GEOS Software Development Kit Objects, Volume 1, Release 0.8 (Documentation)
Pen Computing Magazine 1999

Pen Computing Magazine – September 1999
Pen Computing Magazine 1998
Pen Computing Magazine – April 1998 (Cover)

Pen Computing Magazine – April 1998
GO Corporation 1992

GO Corporation PenPointers October 1992 (Newsletter)
Creative Digital, Inc. 1996

PDA Developers – Volume 4.5 – Sept/Oct 1996
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1991
The Power of PenPoint (Cover)

The Power of PenPoint (Book)
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Application Writing Guide (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Application Writing Guide

A chronology.

1987 — 2007 Selected from the museum's 2001 catalogued timeline events.
View full timeline
1995Software
General Magic Launches Open Telescript Initiative; Documentation and Tools for Software Development Freely Available
General Magic launches its Open Telescript Initiative, making the Telescript Language reference manual and the first version of the Telescript development environment…
1996Software
General Magic Ships Internet Developer’s Kit for Magic Cap Platform; Industry-Leading Tools Ease Development of Internet Applications for Handheld Devices
General Magic ships Magic Internet Kit, software tools that enable developers to more quickly create Internet, intranet, and other communicating applications for…
1997Hardware
Egghead to Carry Concept Kitchen’s WriteRight Screen Enhancements
WriteRights are thin, clear, textured screen overlays that prevent scratches, reduce screen glare, and improve handwriting recognition.
1999Software
3Com Palm Computing Keeps Journalists in the Picture at Cannes Film Festival 1999
The company will be providing extensive information on the festival, updated daily, to users of Palm connected organisers via PC-synchronisation in a…
2003Software
DataViz Announces PDA Playground for Palm OS Handhelds
PDA Playground turns any Palm OS PDA into an instant playground for children ages 3-7.
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.
2005Hardware
Palm Names Michael R. Farese and Rena Lane as Senior Vice Presidents
Palm, Inc. announces the appointments of Michael R. "Mike" Farese, senior vice president, engineering, and Rena Lane, senior vice president, human resources.

The collection.

Browse 249 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    TC

    Thaddeus Computing

    2 items →
    GS

    GRiD Systems

    1 item →
    YI

    Young Ideas

    3 items →
    JE

    Jonathan Erickson

    17 items →
    KE

    Keyboard

    1 item →
    VB

    Visitor's Badge

    1 item →
    UN

    University

    1 item →
    PS

    PSION

    13 items →
    LE

    Letter

    5 items →
    HW

    Hardware

    7 items →
    BC

    Business Card

    2 items →
    EI

    EO Incorporated

    21 items →
    RE

    Rolodex Electronics

    1 item →
    MO

    Mac OS

    1 item →

    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 – August, 1992 – Volume 2, Number 3

    Volume 2 · Issue 03 Pen-Based Computing – August, 1992 – Volume 2, Number 3

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – July-August, 1997 – Volume 7, Number 6

    Volume 7 · Issue 06 Pen-Based Computing – July-August, 1997 – Volume 7, Number 6

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – June, 1994 – Volume 4, Number 5

    Volume 4 · Issue 05 Pen-Based Computing – June, 1994 – Volume 4, Number 5

    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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