This book investigates the technical architecture and operational potential of the PenPoint operating system as a foundational platform for mobile computing. The authors, Dan Shafer and Robert J. Carr, leverage their direct involvement in the development of the software to explain how pen-based input replaces traditional keyboard and mouse interfaces. They present a framework for understanding how mobile hardware interacts with gesture-based software to create a new paradigm for personal computing. The text serves as an early technical overview of the system's design philosophy and intended user experience.

Experts and historians of technology recognize this work as a primary source for understanding the early development of mobile operating systems. Readers frequently note the technical focus of the prose, which provides a clear window into the design goals of the PenPoint project during its initial release phase.