Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!camex!circus!kent
From: kent@circus.camex.com (Kent Borg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: New Mac Keyboard
Message-ID: <1591@camex.COM>
Date: 25 Oct 90 16:17:27 GMT
References: <1590@camex.COM> <3329@uakari.primate.wisc.edu>
Sender: news@Camex.COM
Reply-To: kent@camex.com (Kent Borg)
Organization: Camex Inc., Boston, MA
Lines: 58

In article <3329@uakari.primate.wisc.edu> bin@primate.wisc.edu writes:
>From article <1590@camex.COM>, by kent@circus.camex.com (Kent Borg):
>> Simple.  There are (at least) two ways to arrange a keyboard.  For a
>> programmer or for a typist.  
>> 
>> Question: If you are selling Macintoshes and want them to be
>> approachable, easy to use machines, which group do you cater to?
>> Typists, of course.  (Nothing in the Mac is done for programmers'
>> convienience, why should the keyboard???)
>
>This does not make sense, given the evidence of the keyboard itself.
>
>If Macintosh keyboards were designed for typists, the clover key
>would be placed somewhere other than where it breaks your wrist to
>type it.

Heh!  I never said that Macintosh keyboards were designed for typists.
A little look at the history of Macintosh keyboards will reveal that
they were not designed with a clear head at all, let alone for a clear
audience.  (Notice that this new keyboard has yet *another* layout.)

When designing anything, understand your audience, know their
expectations, and try to think clearly.

My point was about where to put control keys and caps-lock (nee
shift-lock) keys, that typewriter keyboards out number and predate
computer keyboards, that their traditional layouts should have real
weight in these considerations.

>In article <1590@camex.COM> I also said:
>Control keys should be as obsolete to computers as UPPERCASE
>ONLY...maybe we should banish *both* keys.

I was exagerating.

Don't take it to mean that I don't recognize that control keys are
necessary on realistic keyboards.  Yes, Unix (and Emacs which I am
using now) and most other ASCII-based computers require a control key.
My point is that Mac programs that are not talking to archaic
computers should not be using the control key; that Mac programs that
can do fonts and bold and italics have little reason for a caps-lock.

The proverbial "My Mom" has *no* need for a control key and has very,
very little need for a caps-lock.  (My actual mom uses a Plus, does
email using MacNet and AOL, and knows how to use italics and bold for
most former uses of all-caps.  Ask her: borgh@dcjcon.das.net) 

Seems a waste to use that valuable spot above the left shift key on
either function, but I think caps-lock clearly wins on an approachable
computer like the Mac.  Us weirdos who use antiques like Unix and
tty-style BBS's will just have to adjust.


--
Kent Borg                            internet: kent@camex.com   AOL: kent borg
                                            H:(617) 776-6899  W:(617) 426-3577
"The prospect of their mass excites astrophysicists, who are always on the
 lookout for ways to make the universe heavier"   -- The Economist, 9-22-90