IntelligentPad Concept

The special characteristics of IntelligentPad include its simplicity of operation and its wide applicability. It enables programs of a kind whose workings are normally not visible to be expressed as visible units, called pads, representing their various functions. These pads can then be connected together. Such objects can be likened to children's LEGO™ building blocks which, because the blocks are standardized, can be assembled freely to create a variety of shapes. And if you come across a set of blocks assembled by someone else, you can use them as they are or change various parts to create your own novel compositions. In IntelligentPad the role of such blocks is fulfilled by pads, each implementing some specific function but all with the same standardized connection interface. For example, figure 1 represents four different kinds of pad: a square "text pad" that supports text editing, a trapezoidal "image pad" that can handle images, a diamond-shaped "calculation pad" that performs calculations, and a rectangular "graph pad" that generates and displays graphs. By bringing together these four pads, and hence their different functions, one could create an integrated multimedia document that provides commentary and calculation, with visual display of the results. Figure 1. Manipulation is simple: just drag and drop pads using the mouse. As more and more pads become available, the possibilities for synthesizing new kinds of tool (composite pads) will become limitless. Thus IntelligentPad pushes ahead the technology for component software, potentially bringing about a jump in programming productivity and software maintainability. Figure 2. Construction of a more complex form of composite pad. LEGO™ is a registered trademark of the Lego Group of companies.