Any Developers using Tablets?

I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform. I am
fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what about
other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the best
platform for an applications developer?

Troy

Absolutely. You should take a look at the
microsoft.public.windows.tabletpc.developer newsgroup and also the
http://www.tabletpcdeveloper.com/ web site.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet PC Universe - www.tabletpcuniverse.net
Tablet PC Chat - http://thetabletpc.net/support.htm
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

"Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform. I
am
> fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what
about
> other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the best
> platform for an applications developer?
>
> Troy
>
>

I'm using a Toshiba 3500 and VS.NET 2003 with no complaints. If it wasn't
for the auto-hide feature of the toolbox/solution explorer/etc... my opinion
would be different

Scott Canham
MVP - Academic


"Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform. I
am
> fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what
about
> other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the best
> platform for an applications developer?
>
> Troy
>
>

Troy Murphy wrote:
> I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform. I am
> fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what about
> other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the best
> platform for an applications developer?
>
> Troy
>
>
I use Delphi and Nexusdb and do all my development on a Motion 1300
tablet. I rarely use a keyboard. I find programming with the stylus very
comfortable. A lot of it is drag and drop or code completion. It is very
nice being able to sit in a comfortable chair on the porch and program.

hi

i use a acer c111 and it's absolutely great(scott is right, without the auto
hidefeature it would ********)
and the 10.4" aren't too small for me, i'm mor enear the screen before but
using the digitizer instead of a mouse is just great

peter


"Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform. I
am
> fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what
about
> other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the best
> platform for an applications developer?
>
> Troy
>
>

No. The Tablet is not the best platform for an application developer and
anyone that would tell you otherwise is a little too enthusiastic about
their Tablet PC.

Now I'm not saying you can't develop on a Tablet PC. I do frequently. I have
an Acer C110. The most annoying problem is not the screen size or processing
power... it's the keyboard layout! The PageUp/PageDown are mixed in with the
Home/End keys. I prefer to develop on my big 21" crt monitor on my powerful
desktop though.

If you want an ideal mobile development platform, look for a high power,
large laptop. However, if you take notes frequently and you are interested
in using the Tablet PC for things other than development, then you may love
a Tablet PC. I love mine. But the Tablet concept offers absolutely no
benefit for developers other than a great platform to develop for.

Bottom line, don't get a Tablet PC just cause it's the latest, greatest
thing if you only wanna use it for development. If you are gonna use it for
personal use and note taking, or if you intend to target the Tablet PC
platform then you'll probably love it. Just make sure to get a centrino.

--
J. Tennyson Einstein
Einstein Technologies

Add ink input to Outlook with Tablet Enhancements for Outlook! Only $19.99!
http://www.einsteinware.com

"Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform. I
am
> fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what
about
> other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the best
> platform for an applications developer?
>
> Troy
>
>

Wouldn't you need, or at least want, a tablet pc if you were developing a
tablet pc application? What about something like that new Acer which looks
more like a laptop than a tablet, but does support inking features? Could
you event develop and test a tablet pc application on anything other than a
tablet? Once you dock this thing, wouldn't you get the same features as a
desktop? Sorry, I know little about these.

Troy

"J. Tennyson Einstein" <> wrote in message
news:...
> No. The Tablet is not the best platform for an application developer and
> anyone that would tell you otherwise is a little too enthusiastic about
> their Tablet PC.
>
> Now I'm not saying you can't develop on a Tablet PC. I do frequently. I
have
> an Acer C110. The most annoying problem is not the screen size or
processing
> power... it's the keyboard layout! The PageUp/PageDown are mixed in with
the
> Home/End keys. I prefer to develop on my big 21" crt monitor on my
powerful
> desktop though.
>
> If you want an ideal mobile development platform, look for a high power,
> large laptop. However, if you take notes frequently and you are interested
> in using the Tablet PC for things other than development, then you may
love
> a Tablet PC. I love mine. But the Tablet concept offers absolutely no
> benefit for developers other than a great platform to develop for.
>
> Bottom line, don't get a Tablet PC just cause it's the latest, greatest
> thing if you only wanna use it for development. If you are gonna use it
for
> personal use and note taking, or if you intend to target the Tablet PC
> platform then you'll probably love it. Just make sure to get a centrino.
>
> --
> J. Tennyson Einstein
> Einstein Technologies
>
> Add ink input to Outlook with Tablet Enhancements for Outlook! Only
$19.99!
> http://www.einsteinware.com
>
> "Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> > curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> > FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform.
I
> am
> > fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what
> about
> > other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the
best
> > platform for an applications developer?
> >
> > Troy
> >
> >
>
>

That would be ideal, Troy, but everything you see on a Tablet PC was
developed for the most part on a desktop. 8-) You might be interested in
checking out the http://www.tabletpcdeveloper.com/ web site. Developers
also hang out in the microsoft.public.tabletpc.developer newsgroup.

BTW - The regular laptops with digital screens which run Tablet PC software
are a "clam shell" version. Personally, I prefer the smaller form factor,
but those who wish to have the advantages of the Tablet on a laptop
configuration will be able to do so.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet PC Universe - www.tabletpcuniverse.net
Tablet PC Chat - http://thetabletpc.net/support.htm
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

"Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Wouldn't you need, or at least want, a tablet pc if you were developing a
> tablet pc application? What about something like that new Acer which
looks
> more like a laptop than a tablet, but does support inking features? Could
> you event develop and test a tablet pc application on anything other than
a
> tablet? Once you dock this thing, wouldn't you get the same features as a
> desktop? Sorry, I know little about these.
>
> Troy
>
> "J. Tennyson Einstein" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > No. The Tablet is not the best platform for an application developer and
> > anyone that would tell you otherwise is a little too enthusiastic about
> > their Tablet PC.
> >
> > Now I'm not saying you can't develop on a Tablet PC. I do frequently. I
> have
> > an Acer C110. The most annoying problem is not the screen size or
> processing
> > power... it's the keyboard layout! The PageUp/PageDown are mixed in with
> the
> > Home/End keys. I prefer to develop on my big 21" crt monitor on my
> powerful
> > desktop though.
> >
> > If you want an ideal mobile development platform, look for a high power,
> > large laptop. However, if you take notes frequently and you are
interested
> > in using the Tablet PC for things other than development, then you may
> love
> > a Tablet PC. I love mine. But the Tablet concept offers absolutely no
> > benefit for developers other than a great platform to develop for.
> >
> > Bottom line, don't get a Tablet PC just cause it's the latest, greatest
> > thing if you only wanna use it for development. If you are gonna use it
> for
> > personal use and note taking, or if you intend to target the Tablet PC
> > platform then you'll probably love it. Just make sure to get a centrino.
> >
> > --
> > J. Tennyson Einstein
> > Einstein Technologies
> >
> > Add ink input to Outlook with Tablet Enhancements for Outlook! Only
> $19.99!
> > http://www.einsteinware.com
> >
> > "Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> > > I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I am
> > > curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or Visual
> > > FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development platform.
> I
> > am
> > > fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but what
> > about
> > > other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the
> best
> > > platform for an applications developer?
> > >
> > > Troy
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

I agree in regard to the clam shell devices.

I don't think that they should really be called Tablet PC's. Writing on a
laptop screen is not likely to be useful for taking notes or drawing. Only
normal "mouse-type" interaction with the pen or quick markups. I've tried to
use the pen on my C110 in laptop mode and it's pretty much useless.

Back to Troy:

As for testing tablet apps on a desktop... You don't get handwriting
recognition on a desktop but the ink support is available. While you may
find a really good development machine in one of the clamshells, consider
the cost. If it's going to cost you $1000 more for a laptop just because you
can use the pen on the screen, you have to decide if it is worth it.
However, if you are a developer looking to create Tablet PC applications
then I think you would want to get a tablet. But get one that can convert to
portrait mode because this is how a majority of the Tablet PC users are
going to use your software.

J.T.

"Chris H." <> wrote in message
news:...
> That would be ideal, Troy, but everything you see on a Tablet PC was
> developed for the most part on a desktop. 8-) You might be interested in
> checking out the http://www.tabletpcdeveloper.com/ web site. Developers
> also hang out in the microsoft.public.tabletpc.developer newsgroup.
>
> BTW - The regular laptops with digital screens which run Tablet PC
software
> are a "clam shell" version. Personally, I prefer the smaller form factor,
> but those who wish to have the advantages of the Tablet on a laptop
> configuration will be able to do so.
> --
> Chris H.
> Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
> Tablet PC Universe - www.tabletpcuniverse.net
> Tablet PC Chat - http://thetabletpc.net/support.htm
> Associate Expert
> Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>
> "Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
> > Wouldn't you need, or at least want, a tablet pc if you were developing
a
> > tablet pc application? What about something like that new Acer which
> looks
> > more like a laptop than a tablet, but does support inking features?
Could
> > you event develop and test a tablet pc application on anything other
than
> a
> > tablet? Once you dock this thing, wouldn't you get the same features as
a
> > desktop? Sorry, I know little about these.
> >
> > Troy
> >
> > "J. Tennyson Einstein" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> > > No. The Tablet is not the best platform for an application developer
and
> > > anyone that would tell you otherwise is a little too enthusiastic
about
> > > their Tablet PC.
> > >
> > > Now I'm not saying you can't develop on a Tablet PC. I do frequently.
I
> > have
> > > an Acer C110. The most annoying problem is not the screen size or
> > processing
> > > power... it's the keyboard layout! The PageUp/PageDown are mixed in
with
> > the
> > > Home/End keys. I prefer to develop on my big 21" crt monitor on my
> > powerful
> > > desktop though.
> > >
> > > If you want an ideal mobile development platform, look for a high
power,
> > > large laptop. However, if you take notes frequently and you are
> interested
> > > in using the Tablet PC for things other than development, then you may
> > love
> > > a Tablet PC. I love mine. But the Tablet concept offers absolutely no
> > > benefit for developers other than a great platform to develop for.
> > >
> > > Bottom line, don't get a Tablet PC just cause it's the latest,
greatest
> > > thing if you only wanna use it for development. If you are gonna use
it
> > for
> > > personal use and note taking, or if you intend to target the Tablet PC
> > > platform then you'll probably love it. Just make sure to get a
centrino.
> > >
> > > --
> > > J. Tennyson Einstein
> > > Einstein Technologies
> > >
> > > Add ink input to Outlook with Tablet Enhancements for Outlook! Only
> > $19.99!
> > > http://www.einsteinware.com
> > >
> > > "Troy Murphy" <> wrote in message
> > > news:...
> > > > I am ready to retire my Dell notebook and look into the tablets. I
am
> > > > curious if there are any developers using Visual Studio .NET or
Visual
> > > > FoxPro thare are using a tablet as their primary development
platform.
> > I
> > > am
> > > > fairly certain that a convertable form factor would be best, but
what
> > > about
> > > > other issues like screen resolution, etc. Or, is the tablet not the
> > best
> > > > platform for an applications developer?
> > > >
> > > > Troy
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

I hope you're not paid by the hour.

"David Guest" <> wrote in message
news:...

> I use Delphi and Nexusdb and do all my development on a Motion 1300
> tablet. I rarely use a keyboard. I find programming with the stylus very
> comfortable. A lot of it is drag and drop or code completion. It is very
> nice being able to sit in a comfortable chair on the porch and program.
>