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From: chris@columbia.UUCP (Chris Maio)
Newsgroups: net.info-terms,net.internat
Subject: Re: In search of a sane keyboard standard
Message-ID: <2354@columbia.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-May-86 14:09:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: columbia.2354
Posted: Tue May  6 14:09:48 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 8-May-86 08:28:59 EDT
References: <2071@cbosgd.UUCP> <521@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Reply-To: chris@columbia.edu (Chris Maio)
Organization: Columbia University CS Department
Lines: 24
Xref: linus net.info-terms:452 net.internat:17

There's nothing wrong with the Horton Standard Keyboard, but I would suggest
adopting the (similar) DEC VT100 keyboard as a standard instead, with the
option widening the control key and moving caps lock out of the way.  Among
other things, a significant number of the keyboards out there would already be
compliant.

>In any event, we need to identify the source of the problem before
>we can expect to get it fixed.  Would some terminal vendors please
>explain how they came up with their keyboard layout designs?

I think Human Designed Systems, makers of the old Concept 100's and AVTs, does
it right.  After I ordered a couple of batches of AVTs with non-standard
keyboards, the president of the company himself called me up to ask what I
didn't like about their keyboards.  I didn't ask for anything odd, and sure
enough the next keyboard they brought out, for the HDS200, was exactly what I
wanted -- basically a VT100 layout but with a wide control key, caps lock under
linefeed, meta-key under left-shift, plus the keypad and dozens of pf keys on
an "ergonmetric" keyboard with a good feel.  If you're picky, you can redefine
keys like BS, DEL, LF, CR, etc to generate whatever you want (you can even
download your own font if you don't like the standard one, or if you want, say,
italics in standout mode).  I won't go into the many other great features of
the HDS200, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who cares what kind
of terminal they use.
						Chris