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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!pournell
From: pournell@sdcsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: id AA28321; Thu, 23 Feb 84 05:32:59 pst
Message-ID: <533@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-Feb-84 21:07:21 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.533
Posted: Sat Feb 25 21:07:21 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Feb-84 08:21:35 EST
References: <5763@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: U.C. San Diego; freelance writer
Lines: 23

In reference to the "<FLAME>" from a DEC person re the DEC vt200 and
Rainbow keyboards:

You have, in my opinion, either been instilled with a
great deal of "DEC forever" sentiment or are a very adaptable typist.  I
have used a lot of keyboards in my time, but the very best is still that
used by the overwhelming majority of office typists -- the IBM
Selectric.  Lord only knows why the screwed it up so thoroughly on the
PCturkey, but they did; why DEC, the fourth largest computer company
(behind IBM, IBM, and IBM) would choose to so thoroughly ignore the
leading brand's enormous success by putting the keys in such unreachably
wrong places is beyond me.

This arrogance and ignorance of the marketplace would seem foolhardy
when the Rainbow was first introduced, but to keep doing it after its
laughable showing in the marketplace is just stupid.  To change one of
the most successful line of terminals ever in that way is just
throat-cutting.

I might remind you that DEC still hasn't caught up in micro sales with
that young snot Zenith, the one who sold so many machines to the Air
Force.  Perhaps its keyboard has nothing to do with it, but corporate
arrogance certainly does.