A Software Agent for Note Taking

People like to record information for later consultation. Paper is easy to use, inexpensive, and durable. To its disadvantage, paper records do not scale well. As the amount of information grows, retrieval becomes inefficient, physical storage becomes excessive, and duplication and distribution become xpensive. In contrast, digital media offers better scaling capabilities, and it is clear that our computing environments are evolving as several vendors are beginning to market inexpensive, hand-held, highly portable computers that can convert handwriting into text. We view this as the start of a new paradigm shift in how digital information will be gathered and used. It is in this paradigm that our research is inspired. Our primary goal is to combine the best of both worlds by making digital media as convenient as paper. This document describes interactive note-taking software for computers with pen-based input devices. Our software has two distinctive features: first, it actively predicts what the user is going to write and provides a default that the user may select; second, it automatically constructs a graphical interface at the user’s request. Viewed in a larger context, the interactive note-taking system is a type of self-customizing software--it uses machine learning techniques to automatically customize task-generic software to a specific user. Because the software learns to assist the user by watching them complete tasks, the software is also a learning apprentice. Similarly, because the user does not explicitly program the defaults or the user interface for the note taking system, it is a type of software agent. Agents are a new user interface paradigm that frees the user from having to explicitly command the computer. With our software, the user can record information directly and in a freeform manner. Behind the interface, the software is acting on behalf of the user, helping to capture and organize the information.