Exercise 4

_{1.    Explain how punch cards were used as input methods, why did their use recline, and are they still in use today?}

Punch cards were the first widely adopted technologies that allowed the permanent storage and retrieval of programs and data. Most cards featured 80 columns, but Herman Hollerith eventually created the modern punch card. Multiple punches in each column could be used to represent either a letter or number, which was typically also printed in ink at the top of the column so the cards could also be read by eye.

        Keyboards were a large leap forward from punch cards, and led to the recline in use of punch cards as they made editing a matter of re-keying input, instead of ripping up and retyping entire cards.

            Today, punch cards still have a few uses, most notably for one purpose: voting machines. However, after an incident in the 1968 general election in Detroit where a rainstorm soaked one batch of ballots, there have been questions of whether more modern methods should be used.

_{2.    In your own words, and from your imagination, try to envision a futuristic input method. Support your answer with photos/sketches if/when possible.}

In the future, keyboards have to be small enough to be ultra-portable, yet large enough to be typed on comfortably. How do we achieve this? Why, simply by having a virtual keyboard that is easier to type on than a minute touchscreen keyboard that is easy to make typing errors on.

This is done with a laser hologram that is touch or optical sensitive. Thus it can be projected onto any surface, making it mass-less yet comfortable to type on. In fact, this technology is rumored to be explored by Apple. The tech world is buzzing with news that this sensational technology is not light years away, but in fact due to be released next year in the iPhone 5.