You are right on the timeline consideration, Chris. I fully expect that, at some point in the future, we will use a different “primary input method” for interaction with computers.

I suppose one way to look at Mr. Prentice’s statement is to broaden the scope of what we call “computers” to include things like game consoles and smart phones. If you do that, then based purely on the number of devices in use, it might even be possible to say that we already have switched from using mice and keyboards. Perhaps the dominant input method based on this broader definition of computers is the telephone keypad for SMS.

But personally I reject that kind of broadening of what defines a personal computer. Of course you don’t use a mouse and keyboard with your cell phone- not because that wouldn’t be a better interface if you use your phone for website navigation and writing long emails, but because you bloody well can’t carry around a full sized keyboard and mouse. So instead you are stuck with a painful and inefficient input method: stabbing at a tiny keyboard with your index finger and poking/swiping your greasy digits around on a very small and shiny display. These motion and pointing interfaces are all fantastic alternatives for these types of space constrained situations.

For devices that sit at a desk and have the luxury of space, a keyboard and mouse is the best interface today for entering large volumes of text and navigating rich user interfaces. As for handwriting recognition, again it is primarily of value to space-constrained devices. I can easily type at four or five times the speed that I can hand-write a note, so even if the accuracy was 100%, I’d only really use it where a keyboard isn’t convenient.

A mouse is superior to “eye motion detection” or whatever they call it because there is no mistaking that I mean to select something when I use a mouse. I don’t know about you, but I use my eyes for a lot of other things than selecting icons on screen. A mouse is also superior to touch screens for the vast majority of uses because most of the time I don’t want to have to reach my whole arm across my desk to select or point at something. The repetitive stress injuries from such continuous reaching and stretching would be horrendous. And as for motion sensing controllers like the Wiimote… they are inaccurate for all but the most vague actions, and once again I don’t see that the offer any improvement over the humble mouse.

Mostly, I think guys like Mr. Prentice make crazy statements like this to sound visionary. To the average executive (who has staff to do anything so menial as touch a computer) fondling his iPhone or watching his kid play on the Wii, this kind of claptrap sounds cool. And five years from now, Mr. Prentice can just make some sort of vague statement about how unimaginative all the real workers are for not casting off their mice and adopting his touch sensitive, motion detecting future.