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From: jimc@iscuva.UUCP (Jim Cathey)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Keyboard Layout
Message-ID: <260@iscuva.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Sep-86 16:57:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: iscuva.260
Posted: Fri Sep 19 16:57:31 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Sep-86 22:15:38 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: ISC Systems Corporation, Spokane, Wa.
Lines: 67

Arrrrrggghhhhhh!  

*** Warning, keyboard layout flame ahead...

I think I must be a member of the (or a) 'silent majority' when I state
that I much prefer the layout of the original Mac keyboard to that
abomination placed on the Mac+.  I think the first keyboard is wonderful,
GOOD JOB, GUYS!  

That damned numeric pad is in the way of my mouse!  I like placing the
mouse right next to the keyboard, just about where cursor control keys
are placed on lesser machines.  I have to reach too far on a Mac+.  I
agree with the original decision to have a separate numeric pad for those
bean-counters among us who need one, and not penalize the rest of us who
don't.  

The new placements of the Command and Option keys are awful.  The dinky
right shift key is particularly annoying.  I am a fairly quick and
sloppy typist, and I don't like having to pussyfoot around my shift
keys to keep from hitting other junk.  I preferred the
left-hand/right-hand symmetry of the Option keys on the original
keyboard.  It made for less hand-cramping when using them.  

I would have preferred the Caps-lock and Command keys to be exchanged.
(I have since gotten used to curling my left thumb for Command rather
than the more familiar pinkie-push).  Caps-lock is not actuated nearly
as much as Command, so why put it in the more valuable position?

Dvorak's recent whining about the dimples on D and K keys is totally
non-sensical.  We did our keyboard that way.  The dimples go there for
exactly the same reason the dimple goes on a 5 key and not the 6 key in
a numeric pad.  Think about it... (hint, hold your hand up and look at it).

I don't care where the \ and ` keys are on a keyboard.  They could be on the
bottom and still be close enough.  They should NOT displace vitally important
keys such as Backspace, Return, and Shift.  All of these should be big, close
to the home position, and have free space nearby for finger mash room.

I think that the Mac+ keyboard was designed by renegade left-handed (you can
bet the pad isn't in the way of THEIR mouse!) piano designers from DEC....
(DEC's keyboard anthem:  WI-DER, MORE-KEYS, WI-DER, MORE-KEYS, ...)
((Actually I think the VT-220 keyboard was designed for executives, who
  equate key count with corporate status.  The Mac+ keyboard designers
  are aware of this and didn't want businessmen to pooh-pooh the Mac+
  because it doesn't have enough keys.))

Remember, high-speed typists care where keys go.  The rest don't.  Keyboards
are almost always designed by some guy who can't type, and who feels that
a perfectly rectangular cutout in the case and the color of the legends are
THE most important things.  Need I say more?

***** Applying CO  here.
                 2

Sorry, folks, that has been building up for some time.  Am I really alone
out here?

-- 

+----------------+
! II      CCCCCC !  Jim Cathey
! II  SSSSCC     !  ISC Systems Corp.
! II      CC     !  Spokane, WA
! IISSSS  CC     !  UUCP: ihnp4!tektronix!reed!iscuva!jimc
! II      CCCCCC !  (509)927-5757
+----------------+
			"With excitement like this, who is needing enemas?"