Abstract
This chapter addresses the issue of how to design better writing environments. I shall use the phrase ‘writing environment’ to mean the writer’s surroundings (including resources and writing tools), and also computer-based systems for composing documents. A central claim is that the distinction will become increasingly blurred, as the computer continues to accommodate and support more of the writing process. The chapter is written from the perspective of a software designer, but it argues that new designs should be based on a clear understanding of the practices of writing. Writing is such an integral part of working life that the development of writing software is not just a matter of solving technical problems, but of carrying out social and organisational engineering.
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Sharples, M. (1996). Designs for New Writing Environments. In: Sharples, M., van der Geest, T. (eds) The New Writing Environment. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1482-6_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1482-6_9
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