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Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watcgl!onfcanim!dave
From: dave@onfcanim.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Newsgroups: net.info-terms,net.internat
Subject: Re: Re: In search of a sane keyboard standard
Message-ID: <14859@onfcanim.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-May-86 22:02:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: onfcanim.14859
Posted: Thu May 15 22:02:54 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 17-May-86 01:26:00 EDT
References: <2071@cbosgd.UUCP> <163@mtsbb.UUCP> <870@uwvax.UUCP> <167@mtsbb.UUCP>
Reply-To: dave@onfcanim.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Organization: ONF, Montreal
Lines: 26
Xref: watmath net.info-terms:950 net.internat:303
Summary: 

In article <167@mtsbb.UUCP> lav@mtsbb.UUCP (L.A.VALLONE) writes:
>
>It seems people in general can get used to anything.  The problem
>is, once we get used to something (e.g. keyboard layout) we don't
>want to change (how many people are using Dvorak layouts?).

For me, this applies to key feel more than layout - I can always fumble
for the special characters if necessary.  But if the key feel is too far
off from what I'm used to, I can't type *anything* without many errors,
or going very slowly.

This is true even for a single manufacturer.  From 5 years ago until 1 year
ago, I used an old-style Ann Arbor Ambassador, with long-travel keys with
fairly even pressure during the whole stroke.  A year ago, I switched to a
new Ann Arbor Genie.  The keyboard was redesigned, and the key pressure
on these keys increases drastically at the point where the switch contacts
close.  So, over time, I got used to typing by "bouncing" my fingers off
the keys, seldom getting full key travel.  Now we've purchased some more
and they have yet another keyswitch, which requires less pressure and
has where the pressure momentarily decreases as the contacts close (sort
of a "snap" action, like HP calculator keypads).  I have some trouble with
this new one.

Has anyone ever tried to define a standard interface between keyboard
and terminal, so I can have my very own keyboard that I can use on any
terminal (or workstation)?