component-based drag-and-drop software program creator ⌘I Get Data
IntelligentPad was a drag-and-drop software program creator based mostly on the idea of reusable parts. Pads could possibly be reused on different pads. There was no programming language so software program could possibly be created by anyone, together with these with out programming expertise. It was typically known as IP, and sometimes “iPad” which resulted in some users reminiscing on Twitter after the launch of Apple’s iPad gadget.
Historical past
IntelligentPad was proposed in 1987 by Professor Yuzuru Tanaka 田中譲 of Data Media Laboratory, School of Engineering, Hokkaido College, and carried out utilizing Smalltalk-80 in 1989. All software program assets on a pc are represented within the type of Pads. Pads are standardised in order that they are often related to one another and by combining basic pads reminiscent of textual content pads, graph pads, and picture pads, a program (known as a composite pad) is created.
With it being a device for Rapid Application Development there are some similarities with Jean-Marie Hullot’s Interface Builder (1986), Invoice Atkinson’s HyperCard (1987), Denison Bollay’s Action! (video) (1988), Fujitsu’s TownsGEAR (1990), Microsoft’s Visual Basic (1991), Borland’s Delphi (1995), and likewise Apple Analysis Labs’ Squeak (1996, which additionally occurred to be created utilizing Smalltalk-80).
IntelligentPad could possibly be used to construct a wide range of software program from a working calculators and digital clocks (as proven within the documentation/tutorials), by way of to totally blown purposes to a database of nuclear reactors. Examples quoted in early-1999 included a Kyoto culture database “THE MIYAKO” (pdf, p.13) and IntelligentPad’s personal “Piazza” mission. However, each have been nonetheless underneath improvement at the moment.
Desktop software program
Implementations of the IntelligentPad customary have been out there for a number of platforms, and all might mutually change pads. Hitachi have been most energetic, creating variations for Mac (as each Shareware and restricted demo), HP workstations and a model for Home windows with Fujitsu. So as to add to that Fujitsu created a model for Solaris workstations. Elsewhere Ok-Plex launched a industrial model underneath the identify PlexWare (Japanese).
From 1993 the usual was overseen by the IntelligentPad Consortium, a non-profit organisation aiming to advertise and standardise IntelligentPad. The consortium is made up of 36 company members and particular person members, together with Fujitsu, Hitachi Software program Engineering, Fuji Xerox, NTT, and NEC. The identical yr a live-demo was offered in Kobe at the first TED conference held outside of North America (pdf). The proliferation of the world large net at this level meant the start of some changes to the idea.
The “Piazza” mission
On condition that the core idea meant Pads have been freely redistributable parts, an issue arose that software program made utilizing IntelligentPad was troublesome to promote. The software program was free, Pads have been free, and there was no distribution or billing system out there.
So, the IntelligentPad Consortium proposed a digital area for content material distribution known as Piazza, which was offered on the NicoGRAPH convention of artwork and science in 1998. Customers would acquire the flexibility to position their very own purposes and picture information within the Piazza area within the type of pads, and produce other customers obtain them. The proposal was sophisticated by Japan’s copyright legal guidelines, which precipitated the necessity for a middle-man clearing home to be concerned issuing copyright registrations, in addition to distributors who would encrypt the content material. It makes the only level of contact for contemporary App Shops seem like the last word in luxurious!
In March 1999 this was all simply an thought, with no working prototype out there. Piazza model 1.0 was launched in November 1999.
Reinventing the web
Additional proposals included an “web sandbox” that used the Piazza to attach elementary colleges over lengthy distances, enabling them to change content material and talk with one another, and the event of a search engine for content material distributed on Piazza. To me this sounds slightly like reinventing the web.
Obtain
My curiosity in IntelligentPad begun when I discovered Japanese model 2.0.1J in my archive of Macintosh Magazine Media on a Japanese MacUser journal CD-ROM from 1996. With that information I headed over to DiscMaster and located English model 2.0.1 on a 1996 CD-ROM bought by German Apple reseller GRAVIS that contained their catalogue, software program and updates. One world!
You’ll be able to obtain these Macintosh information at https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/intelligentpad and check out it in a traditional Macintosh emulator such because the Infinite Mac web-based emulators (System 7, KanjiTalk 7) and do be certain to repeat the information to the emulated exhausting drive earlier than increasing and working IntelligentPad. Documentation is included and there are Tutorials to create a wide range of issues from a easy calculator, to a extra superior digital clock, and even a full software program software within the type of an interactive map with database browser.
For Home windows, IntelligentPad model 4 launched in 2000 nonetheless works on Home windows 8 in XP Mode. There’s additionally a Java model of IntelligentPad. Each could be downloaded from the Consortium website although I’m but to attempt these particular variations myself.
Demonstration
Aftershock
In 1995 the idea was reimagined as IntelligentBox, which added an additional dimension because it was able to displaying and manipulating 3D fashions. A web-ready model used the phrase Internet Pebble (“Webble”) as an alternative of Pad or Field, and yet one more model used the phrase “Meme Media” to confer with reusable parts comprised of components of net pages.
IntelligentPad immediately
By now you would possibly suppose IntelligentPad is lengthy forgotten, however I’m right here to blow your thoughts. The IntelligentPad Museum/Palace web site continues to be being up to date. The final time I checked there had been an replace in April 2023.