When you put your mouse cursor over a button and a window (modal) pops up to show you what that button does? That’s another invention of mine from March 6, 1987, and called it “Tool Tips.
It was a “necessary” invention, while I was working with quadriplegics, I realized a quadriplegic couldn’t hold a user’s guide. At that time, all user’s guides were paper booklets. A quad couldn’t hold a book.
This idea was to help them the process of learning how to use a computer. They just had to move their head using the head-mouse to position the cursor over any button on-screen and a small window would pop up and explain the function of that button.
Just like curb cuts and ramps for the disabled, non-disabled use the convenience of them also!
During the late 1980’s, Apple stole, borrowed, was inspired by my design and built it into their operating system. Then in 1994, Microsoft also stole, borrowed, was inspired by Tool Tips and made it part of their operating system; Windows.
Lon Safko
Serial Innovator, Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Innovative Thinking
Tags: innovative thinking, creative, creative thinking, Innovation, critical thinking definition, innovation definition, critical thinking skills, creative process
