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From: jr@CC5.BBN.COM (John Robinson)
Newsgroups: net.emacs
Subject: Re: How to set up vt240 for GNU?
Message-ID: <8610041410.AA21143@ucbvax>
Date: Sat, 4-Oct-86 09:57:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8610041410.AA21143
Posted: Sat Oct  4 09:57:19 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 6-Oct-86 18:39:04 EDT
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When I used a vt220 for a while, I learned to use control-[ for ESC
(they're the same thing in ASCII).   Then I could put the 220 into
native mode, which enabled some of the extras like insert mode and
multi-line line insert/delete (I think this is right; my memory is
fuzzy now).

>> The backtick is located in *just* the right spot on the keyboard to
>> serve as a standing for escape

I'm typing on a Mac running versaterm right now; it uses the same
mapping (but puts ` onto squiggle-`).  Similar reason on placement,
but the Mac has no ESC key.  (I wish it had its CONTROL [squiggle] key
in the right place!  One guy I work with took the squiggle key off and
rigged up a little prosthesis with a paperclip to make it possible for
his pinky to provide control-shifting!)

>> (Was dec attacking unix, through vi and emacs, by putting that
>> key way out of the way there:-?  Ergh.)

No, the vt200-family keyboard is an ISO standard.  Guess there weren't
enough addicts of ESC usage in the standards group.  Note that use of
ESC goes back to early DEC operating systems, and to its first editor
TECO, so I think DEC is shooting itself in the foot by your reasoning.

/jr