computer science

Interactive computing

Interactive computing is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Interactive computing rather than just read about it. In short: In computer science, interactive computing refers to software which accepts input from the user as it runs. Interactive software includes commonly used programs, such as word processors or spreadsheet applications.

Key takeaways

Interactive computing belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Interactive computing to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Interactive computing from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In computer science, interactive computing refers to software which accepts input from the user as it runs. Interactive software includes commonly used programs, such as word processors or spreadsheet applications. By comparison, non-interactive programs operate without user intervention; examples of these include compilers and batch processing applications that are pre-programmed to run independently. Interactive computing focuses on real-time interaction ("dialog") between the computer and the operator, and the technologies that enable them. If the response of the computer system is complex enough, it is said that the system is conducting social interaction; some systems try to achieve this through the implementation of social interfaces. The nature of interactive computing as well as its impact on users, are studied extensively in the field of computer interaction.

History of interactive computing systems Ivan Sutherland is considered the father of interactive computing for his work on Sketchpad, the interactive display graphics program he developed in 1963. He later worked at the ARPA Information Processing Techniques Office under the direction of J. C. R. Licklider. There he facilitated ARPA's research grant to Douglas Engelbart for developing the NLS system at SRI, based on his visionary manifesto published in a 1962 report, in which Engelbart envisioned interactive computing as a vehicle for user interaction with computers, with each other, and with their knowledge, all in a vast virtual information space. In a 1965 report, Engelbart published his early experiments with pointing devices, including the computer mouse, for composing and editing on interactive display workstations. Engelbart's work on interactive computing at SRI migrated directly to Xerox PARC, from there to Apple, and out into the mainstream. Thus, the tree of evolution for interactive computing generally traces back to Engelbart's lab at SRI. In December 2008, on the 40th anniversary of his 1968 demo, SRI sponsored a public commemorative event in his honor.

Current research

The need for constant user interaction in interactive computing systems makes it different in many ways from batch processing systems. Areas of current research include the design of novel programming models and achieving information security and reliability in interactive computing. IPython is a software system for scientific interactive computing, supporting data visualization, event-driven programming and a number of related GUI toolkits. The Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Interactive Computing formed in 2007, offering masters and doctoral degrees via collaboration with more than 40 faculties. The Tangible Media Group of MIT, led by Professor Hiroshi Ishii, seeks to seamlessly couple the dual world of bits and atoms by presenting a dynamic physical form to computation.

See also Interactivity Interactive computation Processing modes J. C. R. Licklider Douglas Engelbart Ubiquitous computing

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Interactive computing

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Interactive computing claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Interactive computing before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Interactive computing ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Interactive computing

In research: Interactive computing appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Interactive computing in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Interactive computing is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Human–computer interaction, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Interactive computing outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Interactive computing in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Interactive computing means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Interactive computing out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Interactive computing in simple terms?

Why does Interactive computing matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Interactive computing?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Interactive computing.