Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!rice!sun-spots-request
From: Dick Wetherald
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun
Subject: Sun VT220-PS/2 style keyboard
Keywords: Hardware
Message-ID: <52@brazos.Rice.edu>
Date: 13 Jul 89 20:20:03 GMT
Sender: root@rice.edu
Organization: Sun-Spots
Lines: 33
Approved: Sun-Spots@rice.edu
X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 8, Issue 64, message 13 of 20


   Message-ID: <8905051752.AA03538@rice.edu>
   Organization: BBN Communications Corp, Cambridge, Massachusetts

   The keyboard that Sun started shipping with the 386i and now ships
   with all machines, the type-4 keyboard, is a step backwards for an
   engineering workstation.  [...] Why did Sun do this?  If it wants
   to woo the IBM PC market by making a PC-style keyboard, Sun should
   offer a choice of keyboards (say, "IBM PC layout" and "engineering
   style") so as not to alienate the engineers, their existing user
   base.

We agree that the Type 4 keyboard is a step backward.  Why does the
company who publicly supports standards insist on working against the
market on the keyboard issue?  The VT220 style keyboard is found on most
terminal and PC products today.  Even IBM decided to follow suit with the
"339" keyboard which is quite similar and that is now the PS/2 standard.

Sun is slow to embrace the de facto standard keyboard.

We purchased over 300 Sun 386i machines, and was able to buy a
VT220-PS/2-like keyboard from Sun.  It is called a @RR220KBDKIT.  It is
now a standard part number that customers can order.  (This includes a
mechanical mouse, but Sun was willing to provide either optical or
mechanical with the kit.)

We encourage you to ask your rep for it.

Dick Wetherald
Advanced WorkStation (AWS) Project Leader
Chemical Abstracts Service
Div. of the American Chemical Society
(614) 447-3600 x3328