Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!slxsys!ibmpcug!mantis!mathew From: mathew@mantis.UUCP (mathew) Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops Subject: Re: B.O.S.S or Wizard, etc Message-ID: Date: 3 Dec 90 12:21:41 GMT References: <8540008@hpspcoi.HP.COM> Organization: Mantis Consultants, Cambridge. UK. Lines: 40 dlow@hpspcoi.HP.COM (Danny Low) writes: > >mathew@mantis.UUCP > > The obtained results showed that the alphabetical diagonal > > arrangement achieved better typing speed rates, and that the > > differences between typing rates achieved with the other three ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > > layouts are practically insignificant. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > > > >So for people who don't use computers much (i.e., those who might be expecte > >to buy a Sharp personal organizer) an alphabetic keyboard is no worse than ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > >QWERTY, and probably somewhat better. > > The alphabetic layout on the Wizard is NOT a diagonal > alphabetic layout. This result only shows the key layout of the > Wizard is a minus. You have to learn a new key layout that > makes no difference in speed over a qwerty layout that everyone > already knows. Go back and read the things I've highlighted. I said that the layout was no worse than QWERTY, which is a statement directly supported by the report. I then said it was "probably somewhat better". Reason 1: The rows of keys on the Sharp are narrower than the layout tried in the above tests -- that is, there are fewer keys in each row. Personal experience shows that that helps when finding keys. I would therefore expect slightly better results from the Sharp keyboard than from the horizontal alphabetic keyboard tried in the tests. Reason 2: Many naive users are actively put off by the initial appearance of a QWERTY layout, and initial appeal is an important factor when you're trying to sell a pocket computer. Consider the AgendA - it still has an alphabetic keyboard to reassure people, even though such a keyboard is completely redundant. mathew. -- Mantis Consultants, Unit 56, St. John's Innovation Centre, Cambridge. CB4 4WS. "CP/M is to metric as cockroaches are to a Timex watch" - booter@catnip