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From: scs@wucs.UUCP (Steve Swope)
Newsgroups: net.micro.6809
Subject: Re: OS9 Version 2.00.00 Compatibility
Message-ID: <1281@wucs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Nov-85 20:36:16 EST
Article-I.D.: wucs.1281
Posted: Fri Nov 29 20:36:16 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Nov-85 06:44:12 EST
References: <347@ucdavis.UUCP> <933@lsuc.UUCP>
Reply-To: scs@wucs.UUCP (Steve Swope)
Distribution: net
Organization: Washington U. in St. Louis
Lines: 25

In article <933@lsuc.UUCP> jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) writes:
>     The only thing I noticed was the 'at' key is now defined as an
>'alt' key.  I didn't get to play around and find out where the new
>'at' key is, but the idea behind an 'alt' key is to make *more* key
>definitions possible.  The 'at' has got to be there somewhere.  I still
>don't understand why they don't just come out with more keys on the key-
>board.
>
Keystrokes on the color computer are read as intersections of lines on
a grid, by means of some reserved locations in memory. One interesting
side effect of this is that simultaneous keystrokes can appear as up to
four keys at once (I don't recall the layout on the grid, but I think
it's set up so that intended double uses, such as shift can be distinguished).
Four of the possible intersections on the grid have no associated key,
although third party keyboards are available which supply them (usually
labeled f1-f4). I don't know why more keys aren't added, except for
compatibility reasons. Think about it-- would you be inclined to buy
an OS that required you to install a special keyboard? Of course, this
doesn't answer the question of why the full grid wasn't used in the
first place...

				Steve Swope (aka scs@wucs.UUCP)

"Brigadier, A straight line may be the shortest path between
 two points, but it is by no means the most interesting!"