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Past, present, and future of user interface software tools

1. introduction
1. move from GUI to ubiquitous computing
2. toolkits allow for consistency and make it so that low level details don't have to be constantly re-implemented.
3. discussion of themes: historical
1. GUI have been dominant to the point where the tools are now matured and can effectively help designers
2. tools that are hard to learn (high threshold) are not often adapted, even if they are more powerful. (high ceiling)
3. tools should make doing the right thing easier than doing the wrong thing.
4. future: cheap computers everywhere
1. changes the dominant input/output capabilities. new tools need to be developed to help create the new kinds of user interfaces.
1. now physical computing devices are radically different. rather than just desktop computers with mouse and keyboard we have iphones, cell phones, pda,
2. need new tools to develop the hardware as well as the software.
1. many different rapidly evolving devices that can do the same thing.
2. this would include rapid physical prototyping techniques so that physical interactions can be designed as well virtual interactions.

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