Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!ptimtc!rdmei!icspub!creamy!nttlab!speech-sun!mcohen
From: mcohen@speech-sun.ntt.JP (mcohen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: NeXT keyboards
Keywords: mute power idempotency
Message-ID: <170054@nttlab.ntt.JP>
Date: 13 Apr 91 03:24:20 GMT
References: <5111@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> <_u8G$b1f@cs.psu.edu> <1991Feb5.032803.23922@ni.umd.edu> <11946@darkstar.ucsc.edu> <10811@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <10839@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> <415@heaven.woodside.ca.us> <10960@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
Sender: news@nttlab.ntt.JP
Reply-To: mcohen@acoustic-srx1.NTT.JP (mcohen)
Organization: NTT Human Interface Lab.
Lines: 20

I'm coming in late to the keyboard debate, but lemme throw in my own
litany about the NeXT-specific keys, namely the mute (command key) and
the power button.

The mute function should not be a toggle: why should the user have to
guess if the sound is currently on or off?  Just listening doesn't
make it, as a song or voiceover could be in a quiet interlude, or the
volume could be turned low.  IMHO, the right way to implement this
function (in the absence of a AlphaLock-like light) is to make "Sound
On" the Command- extension of the louder key, and "Sound Off" the
extension of the quieter key.

Similarly, the power key should be expanded to "Power On"/"Power Off".
In the States, i just left my cube on all the time, but here in Japan
they're maniacs about turning things off, dimming screens, etc.  I
wouldn't need to guess the state of the machine if this feature were
implemented correctly.

Idempotency is a powerful notion; sometimes the ability to do nothing
conveniently is all i need.