HM monitor to be discontinued

[Ellery Chan]

Doug Moran <moran at ai.sri.com> writes:

> If you want an approx 2Mpixel
>monitor, but didn't like the HM, please let Sun know why (so we don't lose
>this functionality altogether).

    The added resolution lets you see a lot more text, if you are willing
to look at smaller, but more readable characters.  However, I think the
market for high-res monochrome is limited; if it were a 2Mpixel color display
there would be more takers.  Graphics applications benefit most from the
extra resolution, but so many of them require grayscale or color.

>Suspected Reasons for Poor Sales of HM monitor:
>
>1. Lack of public exposure:  I do not remember ever having seen an HM
>...
>2. Inappropriate default font.  The standard system font is effectively
>...
>3. Suitable fonts: Of my users with HM monitors, 2/3's use the screen.b.14
>...

    I agree that Sun didn't back this product very well, and it seems a
little strange for them to be giving up on it just now, with resolution-
independent windowing systems imminent.  Under SunView, everything is smaller
on an HM display.  Not only is text tinier, icons are smaller, and buttons
and scrollbars and other mousable objects become harder to hit.  X11/NeWS
could ameliorate this problem, but I guess it's moot if Sun drops this
product.

 Ellery Chan                     | ARPA  : ellery at trantor.harris-atd.com
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