1. A programmable apparatus for receiving instructions from a programmer and causing an action to occur on the happening of an event, comprising: an input device, producing an input instruction signal; a control means for receiving said input instruction signal, and stog a program instruction associated with said input instruction signal, said control means storing sufficient program instructions to perform an action on the occurrence of an event, said control means monitoring a status of said apparatus to determine the occurrence of various events, comparing the determined events with the program instructions, and performing said action on the occurrence of said event; a display means for interactively displaying information related to the instructions to be received, and responsive thereto, controlled by said control means, so that the programmer is presented with feedback on a current state of the apparatus and said program instruction; wherein said control means further comprises means for detecting one or more characteristics of said input instruction signal independent of said program instruction selected from the group consisting of a velocity component, an efficiency of input, an accuracy of input, an interruption of input, a high frequency component of input and a past history of input by the programmer, whereby when said control means detects a characteristic indicating that said display means is displaying information in a suboptimal fashion, said control means controls said display means to display information in a more optimal fashion.