After the launch of Apple i-Pad, I thought I should dig into my archives and bring out the paper -
Humanistic View of Things - which was written in early eighties, outlining some of my thoughts
about 'humanising' computers. I am happy to share it again, as some of these ideas have now
seen the light of the day. I am confident that other ideas mentioned therein will also get
incorporated in newer and better humanised gadgets...... K. Munshi 
 
 1

Man and Machine

The technology can be taken for granted. The
Till now the ergonomics or human scientists
real limitations on design will be human
have only reacted to the already designed
capabilities and limitations. So the major design
products or man-machine situations. They trend
criteria in future will be human criteria. For
to study these situations in depth and come out
example it may be possible to make a watch
with recommendations which become obsolete
within a flat plate of 5 mm square or even less,
soon enough, because the technology changes
but the use criteria has to prevail as the digits of
are so fast that product configurations become
this watch are to be seen from a certain distance
entirely different from what these were when
which necessitates that the digits should be only
the studies took place. This is particularly true
"so" big. Nobody even in future would like to
of computers and VDTs and other electronic
carry such a small watch where he is forced to
data processing equipments. Classical example
see the time from a distance of 10 cm or less.
is integrated key board with screen. It was only
after thousands of such units were made that Similarly in video display terminals screen may
ergonomists realised that it is best to separate become as small as one wants, but the character
them. How long can we keep on making dimensions cannot go below a certain limit
mistakes and correcting these and in the (which has to be very very comfortable) again to
process of correction generate new set of be dictated by human considerations.
problems? Would it not be better to look for a
correct solution in the very first place? In fact it is now the duty of the human scientist
If human being is at the centre of the man-made to take the lead and show the directions in
universe, the machine configurations/ which the technology or products of technology
physiognomy should be dictated by the qualities should be made so that these become more
of use and usefulness to the human being. useful, more meaningful and more friendly to
Ergonomist or the human scientist should be the ordinary user.
able to dictate the way in which the technology
should be led. It is now time to control The Slate Model
technology. Technology should be pushed from This envisages that the future interactions with
being the master to the position of slave. There computers will be like the school boy's
is enough known about it and enough known interaction with the slate. The computer
about how to manipulate it. terminal (the display and keyboard) should
Liquid in Pot Model behave like a slate.
Previously the product form or physiognomy of You have pointer (chalk) and you have a slate
a product used to be dictated by the sizes of the (keyboard and screen rolled in one) or you have
components, mechanical linkages between one slate for writing and another for display. To
various components and their physical tryout a simple calculation - write ( 2 + 4 = ? ),
interference or fit. But with the large scale use the question mark should vanish and answer 6
of micros & LSI's the technology has become should come out ( 2 + 4 = 6 ).
physically pliable. There is very little or no
In a graphic facility, draw a line in free hand, it
constraint offered. Electronics has become like
should be reproduced exactly or in the modified
a fluid.
form as commanded, on the display slate. Write
Electronics in fluid form is going to be a very the length and the line should become that
important commodity for the human being. Like length. Write the angle and it should be tilted to
water which is a useful commodity, it will be that angle. Draw a circle by pointer on the
used in various modes. But its usefulness will command slate. Write r = 15 cm and machine
be totally dependent on the form of the should draw a perfect circle with radius equal to
container or pot in which it is placed. For 15 cm.
example if the water is to be drunk, it has to be
kept in a glass or tumbler and if it has to be The communication between man & computer
poured, it is kept in a jug with a spout, if it is to should be like between master and slave and
be carried on head or hip, the pot takes the naturally in the masters language. It has
shape of round bottomed, narrow mouthed happened all along and it should happen in
vessel and so on. Similarly electronic future. The only difference should be that the
components placed in suitable 'pots' perform slave has been replaced by the machine.
better in situations for which the particular The command slate has to be flexible like a
shape of the 'pot' is considered, as it is the shape sheet of paper on a thin writing clip board or
of the 'pot' which interacts with people. rather it should be like a slate - put it on the lap
 2
or put it on the desk or on the floor - wherever it It is now possible to store various type forms in
is convenient. Or have the command and the memory of a computer and compare the text
display slate as one unit with one surface. The written in various type forms on the display
matter should get erased with the rub of the slate. The keyboard may now be kept aside,
hand - just like in a slate so that you can write instead using the command slate on which one
again. may write in long hand and get the display and
print in any typeface and size one wants.
The programming for such kind of software may
be very complicated, but that should be the aim. This raises the question of efficiencies of keying
If this model is presented to the engineers, it is vis-a-vis long hand writing.
certain they will come out with it in the near Many claim that keying is more efficient than
future. The technology is available and it has to writing. But keying is efficient only:
be refined and used universally.
1. If the person using keyboard is highly skilled
and proficient, which means special training
Written Dialogue versus Oral Dialogue
in these skills to be imparted to everybody.
Many animals, mammals and insects too
The costs are enormous both in terms of
communicate orally. Writing is the form of
productive time and infrastructure
communication which is special to the human
development.
being. It has taken us centuries to develop this
capability. It is superior to speaking and 2. If it is plain typewriting from a copy, which in
reading ability. It takes longer to learn in any most of the cases is in hand written or a hand
language, and man is considered literate and corrected type written draft. Duplication all
more civilised if he knows how to write. It will the way! If the person has to "think and key"
continue to be so in the future also, as it will then keying efficiencies drastically reduce
take us many centuries to undo this notion. Let because of the inevitable corrections where
not the present generation forget writing as the process of search gets involved. This is
many advocate; and be gullible enough to fall generally ignored in efficiency calculations.
into the machine trap (oral computer) and lose Think and write process is overall efficient
for ever what has taken us the ages to develop, for drafts where the insertions and erasing is
for in the future nobody knows whether the very frequent.
computer in the existing form will hold the sway While writing, erasing can be done with one
or will be made obsolete by some other fantastic stroke which is not possible in keying.
gadget. Think of the Slide Rule - no scientist or Insertions are even more difficult and time
engineer could do without it, and now it has consuming with the keying process. A blend of
completely disappeared and very few even keying and writing needs to be evolved for
know the name. overall efficiency of the system e.g. Pressing an
'ON ' key is more efficient than writing 'on' on
Let oral communication be used between man the 'slate'.
and man and more formal written
Home Computers vs. Personal
communication between man and computer.
Computers
How would one like to be heard talking to a tree
Computers were miniaturised and further
or stone or for that matter to a computer (an
maniaturised till they became very compact -
inn animate object after all)? How would it be if
small and cheap enough to be affordable by an
in computer terminal room, everbody is
ordinary family. These became personal
murmuring to the computer? Let oral
computers. At present there is no difference
communication be limited to specialised areas
between a personal computer or a computer for
and for people who have the kind of handicap
home or a small computer for office. These
which prevents written communication like the
small machines are marketed as both. There is
blind or the paraplegic etc.
a basic difference between the two which has
not been recognised or it has been deliberately
Keying versus Long Hand-Writing ignored.
With the severance of physical connection A home machine has to be a multi user device
between the type-head (printer) and the keys with varying personal characteristics of users as
(key board) a whole new area, (modes of usage) in a home you have children of various ages,
have opened up. Keyboard, which is a hangover adults, old people. Their requirements are also
from the past (from traditional mechanical variable. The present machine is a single user
typewriter) has the possibility of being device. The most it can take is two users at a
dispensed with, at least partly. time.
 3

Grey-board Model trained better, your dependence for such small

A home machine should have a big screen so notes will be less and therefore you have less
that it can be watched by a whole family of six handicap and so a "superior life".
or eight people. It should be like a "Black So far we have maintained a proper balance
Board", or a "White Board" or literally a "Grey between the use of our tools like writing
Board" - put it on wall or a table with an instruments and alternatives within our system,
assortment of command slates which can be but now our external tools are becoming very
plugged to it by various users for simultaneous powerful and if we have to maintain the power
use or otherwise. Standard commands including parity, between the man and the objects around
standard key board should appear on the grey him, we have to increase our own powers and
board or slate and be operative with a touch, skills to match, so that we are not left high and
thereby achieving an optimised use of writing dry if these external props to life are withdrawn.
and keying to enhance the overall efficiency of
the man-machine system. So let us not forget these skills; let our children
learn such skills and more such ones which will
Oral Arithmetic Vs. Calculator make them independent from the external
Lot of scientists are reconciled to the idea that gadgetry. One such good example is heart pace-
with more and more use of electronic compact maker which used to be outside the body. It was
calculator, oral mathematics/arithmetic should a bulky unwieldy gadget, which could easily get
take a secondary place. Oral mathematics/ knocked off. It has been reduced in size and is
arithmetic is a mental skill which can be easily now being implanted in the body. It has become
learnt up to a certain level or complexity. In the part of the body, so it is less of a handicap than
interest of overall efficiency of the calculation it used to be previously. Another example is soft
process a judicious use of both (oral arithmetic contact lenses, which have also become part of
and calculator use) is required. For example, if the body.
one has to calculate 2 multiplied by 6, oral
multiplication tables can give an instant answer So if we have to be dependent on calculator, let
whereas use of calculator for the same it be implanted and be part of our body. And till
calculation involves extra motor and perceptual that time when everybody can implant a
faculties and is therefore much more time calculator, let the oral arithmetical skills be
consuming. On the other and a calculation like taught and be used.
24 multiplied by 39 can be done more quickly Another argument against the above is that
by calculator than orally. Oral calculations up to instead of using or taxing the brains by
a limit should and need in fact be encouraged remembering tables of multiplications, children
particularly among children as increased and should be taught more creative work. This "or
constant use of mental faculties in any form (one instead" business implies that the power of
such form is oral arithmetic) improves these mind or brain is limited. This assumption has
faculties, rather than otherwise. however been shattered by many who have
Cultivated Handicap proved that full potential of human brain has not
Any dependence on a thing other than one's been realised as yet. So there is no question of
body and mind is a handicap. So the effort of any "instead". We can always use "and" - learn more
human scientist who is involved in the design of arithmetical skill and do more creative work.
hardware or software for human use should try
to minimise the incidence of any sort of A wise management always tends to keep
handicap that one is likely to acquire. alternative suppliers for crucial parts or
services to ensure that their production goes on
Dependence on calculator (external gadget) for
if one source fails. Standby power generators
all kinds of calculations is a handicap. Many
are kept at high cost, just in case the main
persons would try to compare the use of
supply fails.
calculator with the use of pen as in future they
think calculators are to be used like pens and Similarly to lead a full life, a life of freedom and
why not? But then the use of pen is also a independence we must always keep
handicap in a way as you cannot write without alternatives available within ourselves, however
it. If you do not have a pen with you, you cannot crude or inefficient. We must therefore use a
write the new telephone number of a friend to proper blend of our internal physical and mental
whom you are talking from a public phone. To powers and external conveniences and tools so
circumvent this handicap you try to remember that total efficiency of the man -machine system
the number. If you use your mental faculties of is maintained at a high level under varying
memory as much as possible and if you are circumstances.
-