Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ncar!csn!boulder!gore!jacob
From: jacob@gore.com (Jacob Gore)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Those Damn Keyboards
Message-ID: <130153@gore.com>
Date: 7 Feb 91 15:49:42 GMT
References: <5137@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
Reply-To: jacob@gore.com (Jacob Gore)
Organization: Gore Enterprises
Lines: 35

/ comp.sys.next / lacsap@plethora.media.mit.edu (Pascal Chesnais) / Feb 6'91 /
> During this transition period, you may recommend to the UNIX folk that
> they remap their keyboard.  In the developer directory, there is an
> application called Keyboard which allows anyone to remap the keyboard.

OK... two questions:

1.  Period of transition to what?  Something other than Unix?  A Unix that
doesn't use "\", "|" and "Control-\"?  A language other than C, Objective-C
and C++?  An ISO standard that allows a "-" shaped Return key?

2.  How do I remap the "\,|" key to the top 1/3 of the Return key?

> One of the key [ISO] requirements was that the return key had to be "L"
> shaped.  To accomplish this, one of the keys had to be removed and the
> key codes remapped.

Or the keyboard could be made a centimeter wider, allowing the Return key
to be L shaped, leaving the "|,\" key on the main keyboard, and making room
for the "`,~" key on the main keyboard.  (Maybe a Backspace key, though I
don't miss it myself.)

Or you can have two keyboard options.

Or you can sell one keyboard in Europe, and another in North America.

Or you can have people stop buying your machines in North America.

Fortunately, I have old keyboards on the machines where I do most of my
work.  But one of them has the new keyboard, and it pisses me off no end!
As far as I'm concerned, NeXT is shipping defective systems.

Jacob
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Jacob Gore		Jacob@Gore.Com			boulder!gore!jacob