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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!seismo!mcvax!ukc!stc!inset!jr
From: jr@inset.UUCP (Jim R Oldroyd)
Newsgroups: net.internat
Subject: keyboard design
Message-ID: <795@inset.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Nov-85 11:34:16 EST
Article-I.D.: inset.795
Posted: Wed Nov 13 11:34:16 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 17-Nov-85 05:25:47 EST
Reply-To: jr@inset.UUCP (Jim R Oldroyd)
Distribution: net
Organization: The Instruction Set Ltd., London, UK.
Lines: 29
Keywords: Keyboard design, character sets

References:
Xpath: stc stc-a

>[To quote craig@dcl-cs.UUCP (Craig Wylie):]
>
>What we need is a re-configurable keyboard. Of usable size but with all 
>needed charaters displayed, as they appear on the screen, on the tops
>of the keys. OK. Implant a matrix of LCD on top of each key and display the

Have you tried using a keyboard where the keys are located in an unusual
position?  It is difficult enough to become acquainted with some of
the non-standard layouts for so called `ASCII' terminals - and even
more frustrating if one is faced with a French or Scandinavian
etc keyboard.  In the former, the keys ``qw'' are ``az'' and many
others are relocated accordingly.  In the latter, the ``<'' key
is located where I am used to finding the ``z''.  It takes WEEKS
to get used to the new layout.

However, as one is talking of using several alternative character
sets, there is no immediate alternative.  I do feel that this implies
that a finite set of essentially compatible layouts must be presented
to the individual user to avoid total confusion.

The alternative is ``compose-character'' sequences - not suitable if
the alternate set is to be used for a while.

-- 
"The Software did it".
--
++ Jim R Oldroyd
++ jr@inset.co.uk		(after Jan 1, 1986.  `jr@inset.UUCP' before...)
++ ..!mcvax!ukc!inset!jr