Software innovations for the texas instruments explorer computer

Author

Tennant, Harry R. ; Bate, Roger R. ; Corey, Stephen M. ; Davis, Lawrence ; Kline, Paul ; Oren, Lamott G. ; Rajinikanth, Malipatlola ; Saenz, Richard ; Stenger, Daniel ; Thompson, Craig W.

Author_Institution

Texas Instruments, Inc., Dallas, TX, USA

Volume

73

Issue

12

fYear

1985

Firstpage

1771

Lastpage

1790

Abstract

Explorer is a LISP Machine from Texas Instruments. Its software starts with a vast body of software developed at MIT. Texas Instruments has stabilized that software and added more packages and utilities. This paper describes certain innovations in Texas Instrument´s software for the Explorer. TI´s software innovations were in two areas: increasing the learnability of this sophisticated system and adding software components as an aid to prototypers and software developers. Learning aid innovations are embodied in Suggestions Menus and the Universal Command Loop. Software component innovations are embodied in the Universal Command Loop, the Graphics Window System and Graphics Editor, the Relational Table Manager, and the Menu-Based Natural Language Interface. The innovations represented are of two kinds: innovations in concept(Suggestions Menus, Universal Command Loop, and Menu-Based Natural Language Interface) and innovations in design (Graphics Window System, Relational Table Manager).

Keywords

Application software; Computer displays; Computer science; Graphics; Instruments; Keyboards; Natural languages; Programming profession; Software maintenance; Technological innovation;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Proceedings of the IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9219

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/PROC.1985.13370

Filename

1457638