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Software Review
- SATIN – A Toolkit for Informal Ink-based Applications
- kAWT
- JTablet SketchStudio
- OpenOffice SDK
- Classroom Presenter
- Microsoft OneNote 2003
- Corel Grafigo 2
- DyKnow Vision
- DyKnow Monitor
- Adobe Acrobat Standard 7.0
- Waba
- Ewe
- riteForm Local SDK
- Groove Workspace
SATIN – A Toolkit for Informal Ink-based Applications
Description and Features
Software support for making effective pen-based applications is currently rudimentary. To facilitate the creation of such applications, we have developed SATIN, a Java-based toolkit designed to support the creation of applications that leverage the informal nature of pens. This support includes:- a scenegraph for manipulating and rendering objects
- support for zooming and rotating objects
- switching between multiple views of an object
- integration of pen input with interpreters
- libraries for manipulating ink strokes
- widgets optimized for pens
- and compatibility with Java's Swing toolkit
However, although more and more computing devices are coming equipped with pens, there are few useful pen-based applications out there that take advantage of the fact that pens are good for sketching. Most applications use pens only for selecting, tapping, and dragging.
Furthermore, the few compelling applications that do exist are built from scratch, despite the fact that many of them share the same kinds of functionality. This is because of the rudimentary software support for creating pen-based applications.
With respect to input and output for pens, we are at a stage similar to that of windowing toolkits in the early 1980s. Many example applications and many novel techniques exist, but there are no cohesive frameworks to support the creation of effective pen-based applications. As a first step towards such a framework, we have developed SATIN, a toolkit for supporting the creation of informal ink-based applications. From a high-level perspective, there were three research goals for SATIN:- Design a generalized software architecture for informal pen-based applications, focusing on how to handle sketching and gesturing in a reusable manner
- Develop an extensible toolkit that simplifies the creation of such informal pen-based applications
- Distribute this toolkit for general use by researchers
Platform
Requires JDK 1.3 or above
License
Berkley Software License (Open-Source)
Documentation
As for the documentation part SATIN comes with:- Javadoc documenting the entire API it provides
- Class diagrams to rapidly understand how the framework works
- A nine parts tutorial on various aspects
- Samples of code
- Sample applications using the toolkit
Community support
I haven't been able to find another group of developers supporting SATIN but support from it's original developers is good so I don't see this as a major inconvenient.
Personal opinion about this software
This seems like an ideal toolkit to use in our project. First of all it's a toolkit so it can be extensively used for developing an application. Second, it's open-source. Third it's Java-based which allows perfect integration as the application in our project is to be developed in Java.
It is well documented, it has reached version 2.3 which means it has been contributed for a long time. And last but not least it contains many classes - around 700 including classes to support other applications developed with SATIN - therefore offering quite a lot to base a pen application on.
Overall rating
10 out of 10
Description and Features
The goal of the kAWT project is to provide a simplified version of AWT for the KVM: The original com.sun.kjava classes included in J2ME CLDC Beta1 and the older EA-Versions of KVM differ from the standard Java UI components in many aspects. Thus, porting applications to the PDA becomes a bit complicated.
The most important problem is that only limited support for event handling is provided by KVM. Our simplified version of AWT does not let all AWT programs run on the Palm without adoption, but at least the other way around should work: Applications designed for kAWT should run on the "big brothers" of the KJava platform without needing any additional modifications like wrapper classes or similar.
In contrast to the original AWT, the kAWT is implemented all lightweight similar to SWING, so for other platforms than PalmOS only a few system dependent implementation classes need to be ported.
The current kAWT implementation is a "clean room" implementation not depending on original SUN Java code, but of course on the AWT documentation.
Platform
Any device able to run the K Virtual Machine (Sun's implementation of the Java 2 Micro Edition, for the Palm Computing Platform).
Applications can also be deployed on desktops.
License
Free for private and educational use. Using kAWT in GPL open source projects is also free.
For commercial use: one developer seat costs $169 (including all updates for six Months, without Runtime Licenses).
Documentation
Documentation comes as Javadoc of the API, a FAQ section on the website, a section about differences between AWT and kAWT, installation and build instructions and others. As the website mentiones “ Please use the SUN AWT documentation for detailed description of the AWT methods and classes. The kAWT documentation focuses on the differences only ”.
Community support
From what I could see on websites I've visited, kAWT is highly regarded and referenced. Many talk about it recommending it for use when programming mobile devices.
Personal opinion about this software
As with SATIN I believe this will be a perfect tool to use for the TabletPC. It has all the features it needs, it is based on pure Java (this giving it an advantage over Waba and Ewe below). The fact that it's similar to AWT will make porting the desktop PC application to the TabletPC a lot easier than using only the plain API Sun Microsystems provides in J2ME which is quite different form AWT.
Overall rating
10 out of 10
Description and Features
JTablet is a super-lightweight Graphics Tablet plugin for Java applets. JTablet wraps general tablet features into a simple API using Java Native Interface.
The JTablet plugin is an extremely simple and easy-to-use API designed to give you the bare essentials required to support tablet pressure in your java applications or applets.
Platform
Windows
Java 2
License
Open-Source
Documentation
Documentation consists of Javadocs for the classes. Since there are only four classes in JTablet probabily there is no need for more.
Community support
Since it's so small it has no support from someone else besides it's developer.
Personal opinion about this software
This could be useful for us because although it's small it has some features I haven't seen in another SDK such as a way for retrieving the pressure of the pen on the tablet.
Overall rating
9 out of 10
Description and Features
The OpenOffice.org SDK is an add-on for the OpenOffice.org office suite. It provides the necessary tools and documentation for programming the OpenOffice.org APIs and creating own extensions (UNO components) for OpenOffice.org.
UNO stands for Universal Network Objects and is the base component technology for OpenOffice.org. You can utilize and write components that interact across languages, component technologies, computer platforms, and networks. The supported programming languages are Java, C++ and OpenOffice.org Basic.
You can connect to a local or remote instance of OpenOffice.org from C++, Java and COM/DCOM and extend it's functionality through your own code.
It is possible to develop UNO Components in C++ or Java that can be instantiated by the office process and add new capabilities to OpenOffice.org. UNO components, as Java Beans, integrate with Java IDEs (Integrated Development Environment) to give easy access to OpenOffice.org.
Platform
OpenOffice and the SDK are available on a large variety of platforms:- Linux
- Solaris
- Windows
- Power PC
- FreeBSD
- Mac OS X
License
GNU Lesser General Public License (open - source)
Documentation
Documentation for how to extend OpenOffice through the SDK is absolutely huge, consisting of the API, samples of code, tutorials and the 900-page Developer's Guide. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed description of the OpenOffice.org API concepts, the OpenOffice.org UNO component model and how to use the API in the context of the different application areas. At the close of each chapter, there is at least one example that demonstrates how to use a specific API.
In fact, what can be reproached to the documentation is that it's so big and a novice could easily get lost through all the pages available.
Community support
OpenOffice is enormously popular on non-Windows platforms and highly regarded as a professional office suite. Being open-source and popular gives it strong support from the community.
Personal opinion about this software
Although the OpenOffice SDK seems like a strange choice if we think of the subject – pen based applications – it is mentioned here because it would be a perfect solution if we decide to annotate slides. Slide-based presentations are extensively used in teaching process and a tool which allows students to add their own notes to the slides would most certainly be of great use. In this case we could opt for OpenOffice and write a component which extends its functionality and allows slides annotations with the pen, saving annotations, etc. All this having enormous support from the API in the OpenOffice SDK.
In my opinion, a decision on whether our project should use this SDK or not is quite major.
The advantages would be obvious: we integrate our application in a widely used office suite, we can rely on the API to make code writing easier, we make slide annotation . The choice of OpenOffice over competitors (such as Microsoft Office) has two crucial reasons behind it: OpenOffice extensions can be developed using Java which is a core part of our project, unlike Microsoft's Office suite which requires C in order to be extended and OpenOffice is free, open-source and cross-platform. Last but not least, OpenOffice can use Microsoft's PowerPoint file format (*.ppt) whereas the other way around this is not true.
However, the disadvantage must be mentioned as it is not a small one. As the website itself says somewhere “The OpenOffice.org component model is quite extensive and can be daunting at first”. The API consists of an enormous number of classes, and behind it lies a programming model which must be understood quite well before starting to use it. The fact that the Developer's Guide has 900 pages may give an idea on how complex things are. It is obvious that for our project not every single one of this pages must be read but anyway a significant amount of time will be used for this. A lot of documentation to help us exists but even so it might not be easy at all.
So it is a matter of balancing the gains and losses and deciding.
Overall rating
9 out of 10
Description and Features
The basic goals of Classroom Presenter are to provide instructors with increased flexibility in delivering a presentation and to facilitate interaction with the audience. Presenter is a distributed presentation system for the Tablet PC. As a distributed system, synchronized versions of the presentation are shared across instructor, public, and student machines. The Tablet PC allows high quality ink annotations. The digital ink can then be sent from student tablets to the instructor for review or public display.
Classroom Presenter has been used in a range of scenarios including distance education and in-class instruction. In the distance scenarios the instructor has lectured from a Tablet PC which was connected to computer in the remote room which displayed the slides and writing. In the in-class usage, the instructor uses a tablet connect to a data projector either directly or through another computer over a wireless network. The instructor broadcasts a copy of presentation to the students who can follow along and add their own ink. The students can work on in-class activities and send their solutions to the instructor.
The instructor prepares a slide deck in advance using PowerPoint. The slides are then converted into a separate format either by using a PowerPoint plugin to export them, or using the DeckBuilder application (comes with Classroom Presenter download). At class time, Presenter is started on the instructor and student machines. The instructor machine (or a second computer) is connected to a data projector. There is a short connection sequence then the instructor broadcasts the slides. The slides and instructor's ink are projected onto a screen and sent to the students' tablets. Students can ink their copies of the slides and send their ink back to the instructor if submissions are enabled.
Platform
Windows including Windows for the Tablet PC
License
Microsoft Research License. The key restriction in the current license is that use is limited to "Research and Internal Teaching Purposes".
Personal opinion about this software
Classroom Presenter is both powerful and simple. With about the same features as the commercial DyKnow series below. Ability to annotate PowerPoint slides, as well as submitting work done by student to the teacher through a network are features that are likely to be in our application too so seeing them at work would certainly be great. Being a research project not a commercial one and free of price is a crucial advantage too for Classroom Presenter.
Overall rating
9 out of 10
Description and Features
OneNote is a new application for better note taking and research gathering. From meeting notes to Web content, sound bites to action points, simply collate all the information you need in one place for easy access.- Copy notes from a Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC or Smartphone. Take notes on the go with your Pocket PC and copy them into OneNote.
- Insert documents from other Office programs into OneNote. Insert Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint files into your notebook as pictures, and annotate them with typed or handwritten notes.
- Publish pages to Microsoft Word. Easily create formal documents by sending notes to Microsoft Word.
- Share OneNote sessions in real time. Simultaneously view and edit the same pages of notes with multiple users in different locations.
- Password-protect and encrypt notebook sections. Use password protection and encryption to help ensure that only you or those with permission can view specific sections of your notebook.
- Take advantage of additional note flags. Track important action and to-do items with more customizable note flags.
- Scope searches. Change the scope of searches, from your entire notebook to a single section, before you begin your search to quickly find the information you need.
- Delete or erase notes more easily. Strike specific text with a simple pen gesture, or edit more naturally with erasing improvements.
- Use the new pen style options. Write in the style you want using customizable pens and new colors.
Platform
Windows XP or later, or Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3
Microsoft Office integration features require certain Microsoft Office 2003 programs, including Microsoft Office Outlook 2003; Microsoft Windows Server 2003 running Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services is required for certain advanced collaboration functionality; certain inking features require running OneNote 2003 on the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
License
$99.95 to buy
Students and educators are eligible to obtain OneNote 2003 for only $49 from authorized education resellers.
60 days free trial available
Personal opinion about this software
The advantages of OneNote are that it's tightly integrated with pen and TabletPC and suitable for taking notes on documents and sharing them. I belive this can make a good candidate to install and check for features on the TabletPC.
Overall rating
9 out of 10
Description and Features
- Drawing Assistance
Corel Grafigo 2 provides new drawing aids, such as line straightening and alignment, symmetry recognition and snapping, that convert the shapes you draw into perfect forms. New shapes include arrows and trapezoids. - Real-time collaboration
Through Microsoft Peer-To-Peer Technology or Microsoft® NetMeeting®, Corel Grafigo 2 lets you collaborate with colleagues over the Internet, in real time. Changes made in one person's version of Corel Grafigo 2 can be seen immediately by all members of the collaboration session.
- Onionskins
A revolutionary way to review graphically rich projects, Onionskins are transparent overlays that let you add comments or changes to a graphic or drawing without altering the original. Onionskins are reusable and can be sent to another person. You can now show, hide, lock and unlock Onionskins, and use multiple Onionskins that overlap one another so you can view them independently.
- Underlays
You can now move, resize and delete underlays, including importing multi-page documents as separate underlays. With Corel Grafigo 2, you can import documents from any program installed on your Tablet PC that supports standard Windows OS print functionality.
- Library Toolbar
The new Library toolbar allows you to create reusable content from underlays, Onionskins, text frames and ink strokes, and organize content more easily with a new, intuitive workflow.
- Slide shows
Save views as a slide show and open them in an SVG viewer. For multi-page documents, Corel Grafigo 2 also provides navigation controls that let you navigate through the views you've defined.
- Ink strokes
Resize and rotate ink strokes, and use the Local Eraser tool to erase portions of an ink stroke.
Platform
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
License
$99 to buy
30-day fully functional trial edition
Personal opinion about this software
Advantages for Corel Grafigo are the facts that is especially designed for the Tablet PC and makes high use of the pen. Features such as line straightening and alignment, symmetry recognition enabling conversion of the shapes the user draws into perfect forms is an interesting approach and can be used effectively in e-learning. I believe this is a suitable candidate to test and explore it's capabilities on the Tablet PC.
Overall rating
9 out of 10
Description and Features
Rather than eliminating notes altogether, DyKnow Vision allows students to concentrate their note-taking on solving problems, clarifying concepts and making new connections. Later, they can play back their notebooks and see stroke-for-stroke how charts were built or how concepts were introduced.- Automatically share content with students
- Annotate teacher notes
- Replay your class session
- Use pen-enabled hardware
- Capture or embed Web content
- Grab content from other applications
- Import PowerPoint slides
- Demonstrate applications to remote users
- Collaborate in a shared space
- Poll your class
- Exchange dynamic panels
- Electronically grade and return student work
- Combine prepared and extemporaneous teaching
- Connect to your notes from anywhere
Platform
Teacher/Student
Microsoft Windows XP or 2000
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Server
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
License
A limited version – DyClient – is available for download for free. For more information on features available in this limited version see http://www.dyknow.com/support/faq-download.htm
For the full product the price is not given on the website. For additional information see http://www.dyknow.com/products/more/pricing.htm
Personal opinion about this software
DyKnow Vision, together with it's partner DyKnow Monitor seems very rich featured and is totally e-learning and pen based oriented. However, there are substantial disadvantages and main is need, in order to fully test the product, of Microsoft SQL Server which is really expensive.
Also, the Classroom Presenter shown above makes for an alternative since it's free and open-source and has about the same functionalities.
Overall rating
8 out of 10
Description and Features
This tool is intended to be used in collaboration with DyKnow Vision. While DyKnow Vision is used by students, DyKnow monitor is suitable for teacher's use.
For the first time, you can add PCs to be monitored on the fly. You won’t be limited to a computer lab environment because Monitor can work based on your class roster, computer location, or both. This means students may use their own laptops and roam from class to class, still allowing you as the teacher to monitor their desktop when you start a DyKnow Monitor class.
The lab environment is seamless as well. Students simply sign onto a lab PC and give you visibility of their desktop. You can even combine both environments in one class setting. It’s your choice.
Use Monitor seamlessly with Vision – through a single download. Now your students can collaborate and learn naturally while you monitor their learning process.
- Monitor student desktops
- Block applications
- Disable workstations
- Monitor by lab, by class, or both
Platform
Teacher/Student
Microsoft Windows XP or 2000
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Server
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
License
A limited version – DyClient – is available for download for free. For more information on features available in this limited version see http://www.dyknow.com/support/faq-download.htm
For the full product the price is not given on the website. For additional information see http://www.dyknow.com/products/more/pricing.htm
Personal opinion about this software
DyKnow Monitor, together with it's partner DyKnow Vision seems very rich featured and is totally e-learning and pen based oriented. However, there are substantial disadvantages and main is need, in order to fully test the product, of Microsoft SQL Server which is really expensive.
Also, the Classroom Presenter shown above makes for an alternative since it's free and has about the same functionalities.
Overall rating
8 out of 10
Description and Features
Adobe Acrobat is best known for its ability to create PDF files from any document. However, it also includes a set of tools for reviewing and commenting on documents while protecting the integrity of the source. Multiple people can simultaneously exchange comments on a PDF document over a network, using sticky notes with free text, a highlight pen, strike through and underline tools, stamps, sound and graphic markups such as squares.
Traditionally this kind of collaborative review activity is done using paper copies of a document. Reviewing electronic documents in their native file formats isn't practical because it requires all the reviewers to have a copy of the authoring software on their computers. Using a PDF as the review copy eliminates this problem, and doing the review on a computer eliminates the use of paper. However, some of the Acrobat commenting tools (such as the "pencil tool") aren't very convenient to use with a mouse.
Adobe Acrobat's review and comment functions are a natural for use on the Tablet PC. The pen allows "direct manipulation" (focusing your eyes and hand movements on the same spot, rather than moving a mouse on the desk and watching the effect on the screen). The Tablet PC's enhanced mobility and WiFi wireless connection make it possible to do collaborative review almost anywhere.
Adobe showed a "demo" plug-in for Acrobat that automatically brings up the Tablet PC Input Panel whenever a user enters a writable field in a PDF form. Wouldn't it be more comfortable to read the form on a Tablet PC while sitting in an easy chair and use the pen to fill in the few fields?
Platform
Windows, Macintosh
License
$299 to buy
30 days free trial version
Personal opinion about this software
The software seems professional and the expectancy should be confirmed as it comes from Adobe. A great advantage is that it uses collaborative work enabling people to simultaneously share notes and annotations. Another advantage is availability for Tablet PC.
However, the primary disadvantage is the fact that it targets only PDF's which aren't the focus of our project and it can only be used only to see what a collaborative annotation application should look like, offering nothing for programming it.
Overall rating
8 out of 10
Description and Features
Waba is a programming platform for small devices. Waba defines a language, a virtual machine, a class file format and a set of foundation classes. Because of the way Waba was designed, developers can use Java development tools to develop Waba programs. However, Waba is not a derivative of Java and has no connection to Sun Microsystems.
The syntax of the Waba programming language is a strict subset of the syntax of the Java language. This allows developers who are familiar with Java to quickly start programming in Waba.
The Waba language, virtual machine and class file format were designed to be optimal for small devices. Waba has a set of foundation classes designed to be as small as possible while still containing the functionality needed to write fully featured programs for small devices.
Waba comes with a set of "bridge" classes that allow Waba programs to run anywhere Java is available. Waba programs can run as Java applets and applications. Using the bridge classes, a Waba program can run under Windows, UNIX and could appear on a web page as a Java applet.
A few reasons to write programs – including pen based – in Waba are:- Mobility
Waba was designed for small, usually mobile, devices. Waba virtual machines are available that are under 64K in size (including foundation classes) and that run programs in less than 10K of memory. - Functionality
Waba allows developers to quickly develop bullet-proof programs on almost any platform with development tools that are cheap (free in many cases), familiar and easy to use. - Reliability
Small devices normally only contain memory and no outside storage device, so if a program corrupts memory, the whole machine may need to be reset. Waba safeguards memory access to prevent these types of failures. - Portability
With Waba, you can write one program that can run on a PalmPilot device, Windows CE device or any machine that supports Java (either the JDK 1.02, 1.1, 1.2 or 2.0). - Pen support offered by the PenEvent class.
Platform
Any machine that supports Java
License
GNU General Public License (Open-Source)
Documentation
Documentation is quite extensive and comes as Javadoc for the classes, tutorials, howtos on the Waba website (with subjects varying from simple to more complex), a FAQ section and newsgroup where other Waba users can be contacted for information when needed.
Community support
As far as I've seen, Waba is often referenced on websites describing programming for mobile devices as a reliable solution.
Personal opinion about this software
All seems great about Waba – small, open-source, specially designed for mobile devices, pen support, high community support - except for one crucial thing. It is not Java although it is similar to Java. This makes tools such as SATIN and kAWT described above unusable and is an important disadvantage. It might be usable for the Tablet PC if we discover Java might not meet for example performance issues or it's API is not sufficient.
Overall rating
7 out of 10 (same as Ewe for the same reasons)
Description and Features
Ewe is comprised of a small footprint, highly optimized Java byte-code interpreter (a Virtual Machine) and a powerful but compact Java class library. Not only are all the Ewe VM implementations available for download for free, but so is the Ewe SDK along with the Ewe Application Development guide.
The Ewe SDK not only allows you to write 100% portable Ewe applications, but also allows you to re-package your completed applications into a number of forms without having to change a single line of code. This includes:- Native Windows and WinCE EXE files (which can include their own icons).
- Java 1.2 compatible JAR files for execution on Java VMs.
- Java 1.2 compatible Applets.
Ewe introduces nothing new into the Java language, it simply makes you refrain from using a small number of Java features. Your application will therefore still be a true Java application, but it will be targeted for the Ewe libraries instead of the Java libraries.
One should program for Ewe instead of a true Java VM for maximum performance and portability. If you target the Ewe VM your application will work on the desktop and will work on more mobile devices than a PersonalJava application. Furthermore, your application will look good on the desktop and the mobile device since the GUI library in Ewe is far superior to AWT, and very close to SWING. Programming for Ewe is the same as programming for Java except for the different class library. Any Java compiler will compile Ewe applications. Then you can use the Ewe VM or a Java VM to test and debug them.
Platform
- All PalmPC platforms.
- All PocketPC platforms.
- All HandHeld Pro platforms.
- The Casio BE-300 PDA.
- The Sharp Zaurus PDA.
- Windows Desktop.
- Linux Desktop.
License
GNU Lesser General Public License (Open-Source)
Documentation
Ewe documentation is substantial with a huge number of subjects available at http://www.ewesoft.com/docs/EweDevelopment/index.htm.
Community support
Ewe is often quoted in websites as a solution for programming mobile devices. It has an official support forum at http://www.ewesoft.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.pl which shows an active community with most recent replies to questions having today's date.
Personal opinion about this software
The summarization for Ewe is about the same as for Waba above as they are quite similar. All seems great about Ewe – small, open-source, specially designed for mobile devices, pen support, high community support, great documentation - except for one crucial thing. It is not Java although it is similar to Java. This makes tools such as SATIN described above unusable and is an important disadvantage. It might be usable for the Tablet PC if we discover Java might not meet for example performance issues or it's API is not sufficient.
Overall rating
7 out of 10 (the same as Waba for the same reasons)
Description and Features
riteForm local SDK is a software development kit for use in creating advanced handwritten forms recognition solutions intended to reside locally on Windows devices such as pen-enabled notebook computers, pen laptops, and Tablet PCs. With this solution, EverNote's next-generation riteScript handwriting recognition technology, customized vocabularies and data templates are immediately available on end-user devices without the need for wireless connections.
riteForm Local SDK can be used by VAR's, system integrators, software developers and OEMs interested in building highly efficient forms processing applications for any mobile enterprise or small business requiring recognition of English-language handwritten forms on devices with sufficient processing power such as pen laptops, Tablet PCs or PCs used to process input from electronic pens. Use of the riteForm Local SDK is especially appropriate when end users are not wirelessly connected for equipment, convenience, or security reasons.
The riteForm SDK enables three programming environments:- C/C++ (conventional API)
- Visual Basic (COM interface)
- Java (Java classes)
-
Sample applications are provided for all of these programming environments.
- SATIN for developing
- kAWT for developing
- JTablet SketchStudio for developing
- OpenOffice SDK for integration of our project in a widely used larger application (annotating slides in particular)
- Classroom Presenter for desktop and TabletPC
- Microsoft OneNote 2003 for desktop and TabletPC
- Corel Grafigo 2 for TabletPC
Platform
Windows 98/2000/XP/XP Tablet PC Edition
Linux desktops and tablet PC's running Linux (kernel 2.4/2.6)
Windows CE 3.X/4.X, including Windows Mobile for Pocket PC 2002 and 2003.
License
30 days free evaluation
Price and other licesing terms not available on Evernote website
To obtain riteForm software and services, contact info@penandinternet.com
Personal opinion about this software
The good thing about riteForm is that it's a SDK enabling us to use it for programming. But it seems mostly concerned about handwriting recognition which isn't what our project focuses on so this gives it a minus for our use. The fact that it doesn't clearly state it's license terms on it's website is another inconvenient as we don't know the terms on which we can include it in our application.
Overall rating
6 out of 10
Description and Features
Groove is a decentralized collaboration platform. Unlike server-based collaboration software from the past such as Lotus Notes, Groove is entirely peer-to-peer. Groove allows small groups of people to create secure, interactive, shared workspaces. Each user's PC has a local copy of the workspace. All content, activity and gestures made by any member of the group are immediately duplicated on the other members' PCs. There is no "master copy" of the data in a shared workspace; each member's copy is a peer in the network. Although it's not required, a server may be included in the network to broker connections between offline members (who may never be online at the same time), or between members separated by corporate firewalls.
Once invited into a Groove workspace, you can work on a project, brainstorm, plan an event, discuss issues, share drafts and proposals, coordinate schedules or just "get stuff done." The Groove workspace incorporates tools to support all of these activities, including a calendar, contact manager, threaded discussion manager, document review tools, real-time co-editing tools, forms, meeting manager, notepad, out liner, picture viewer, bulletin board, project manager, sketchpad and real-time co-web-browsing tool. Additional tools are available from third-party developers, including tools for architectural drawing, CAD viewing, voting, co-reviewing digital media, mind mapping (project management), CRM, bug tracking, Outlook email integration, proposal management and other collaborative activities.
Groove's initial enhancement to support the Tablet PC is the addition of ink chat. Ink chat can be used for simple wireless messaging in a meeting, or you can embed images and other objects in the message, turning it into a kind of white board messaging tool. There is also an existing sketchpad tool in Groove; with the availability of the Tablet PC's pen, the tool becomes much easier to use than with a mouse. Groove seems committed to the idea of digital ink, so future versions of the Groove workspace are likely to include additional ink support.
Platform
Windows
License
Groove Virtual Office File Sharing Edition – 69$
Groove Virtual Office Professional Edition – 179$
Groove Virtual Office Professional Edition for Projects – 229$
Groove Virtual Office Trial is available at no cost for personal use or 60 day business evaluation.
Personal opinion about this software
This software isn't centered on pen techniques. It instead aims any form of decentralized collaboration offering much more such as “calendar, contact manager, threaded discussion manager, document review tools picture viewer, bulletin board, project manager, sketchpad” and much more. It however allows use of pen, has a sketchpad which can be used for sharing what everybody annotated using the pen and a promise to include additional digital ink support in the future.
Although the fact that Groove has many features can make it ideal for use in other projects I believe that we need a tool based on digital ink and pen to extensively make use of them not one that just supports them.
Overall rating
6 out of 10
To conclude, I believe the best candidates for further studying are
- riteForm Local SDK
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