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From: kwh@bentley.UUCP (KW Heuer)
Newsgroups: net.sci
Subject: Re: Different style of Keyboards (Was Contempt prior to Investigation)
Message-ID: <679@bentley.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 1-Apr-86 12:05:26 EST
Article-I.D.: bentley.679
Posted: Tue Apr  1 12:05:26 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Apr-86 01:31:43 EST
References: <651@kontron.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Liberty Corner
Lines: 18

In article <651@kontron.UUCP> kontron!andyt (Andy Thornton) writes:
>... There was also a text entry device that was a hemisphere that your hand
>rested on.  There were only 5 keys....  Speed increases were horrific!

I've heard about these things.  How do they work?  With 5 keys there are only
32 chords, so I would expect that some/all characters require two chords to
enter.  How does the device recognize the end of one chord and the beginning
of the next?  Do the keys in a chord have to be pressed simultaneously?  How
close is simultaneous?  (I am reminded of the popular misconception about the
CTRL key: "to log out, press CTRL and D at the same time".  False.  The true
sequence is press CTRL, press D, release both (either order).  I've seen so
many beginners trying to press both at once, and hitting the D a split-second
sooner... But I digress.)

I'd appreciate any clarifications from knowledgable folks.  If you send e-mail
I'll summarize to the net.

Karl W. Z. Heuer (ihnp4!bentley!kwh), The Walking Lint