Mathematics via Distance Drawing

["Ellis D. Cooper" <xtalv1@netropolis.net>]

Dear Professor Benabou and all colleagues,

At 10:46 PM 3/7/2010, you wrote:
>Has the sorry time finally  arrived when one can no longer work in
>Mathematics unless he knows  TeX, LaTeX, and/or other sophisticated
>word processings? Should I,  and many others it would be too long to
>name, stop doing mathematics?
>
>I'd appreciate answers from all colleagues

For years I have been advocating the use of internet technology to
allow mathematicians the use of ordinary handwriting and drawing on a
single shared "virtual" sheet of paper. For example, I wrote "Science
on a Napkin: Virtual Drawing is to Drawing as the Telephone is to
Speaking" and made it available in 2007 for dowload at

http://distancedrawing.com/Napkin071215a.pdf .

Nowadays with Skype (currently free) and high-resolution digital
video cameras (low-cost) I am certain a scheme can be worked out to
achieve my goal of "distance drawing." But even short of a "single"
shared piece of virtual paper, already my collaborator and I
routinely share real-time video of each other's pads for free over
Skype, and have enjoyed hours of technical conversation. There is no
reason that mathematical material cannot be recorded by one or more
mathematicians and distributed via the internet to subscribers --
with audio, handwritten equations, and diagrams -- in color.

Ellis D. Cooper




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