A new direction in personal computer software

The "personalization" of computers is made possible by three major factors--advances in microelectronics, the availability of inexpensive software for a spectrum of applications, and the increased user-friendliness of computer systems. This paper examines the trends in software development, and presents estimates of the escalating costs involved in such development. Major studies by AT & T and by others stress that the true need is for more sophisticated and effective communication tools rather than for more computing power. Effective communication often pivots around the impact of diverse types of information--numeric, textual, and pictorial. Current endeavors are towards refining and integrating several existing technologies to implement software that enables programmers and non-programmers alike to readily manipulate images comprised of different types of information. This paper examines the emerging field of presentation graphics software and presents details of a new product in this nascent field. The conclusion emphasizes the impact of graphic computing in enlarging the spectrum of personal computer applications.