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From: dce@mips.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Exotic Interface Query (pointing devices <=> keyboard)
Message-ID: <268@quacky.mips.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Apr-87 10:54:04 EST
Article-I.D.: quacky.268
Posted: Thu Apr  9 10:54:04 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Apr-87 12:01:56 EST
References: <8704090458.AA11356@decwrl.dec.com>
Reply-To: dce@quacky.UUCP (David Elliott)
Distribution: world
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 41

In article <8704090458.AA11356@decwrl.dec.com> mermell@csse32.DEC.COM (Andy, CSSE DSS, ZK2-1/N71 381-2226) writes:
>
>> "Anything you can do with the mouse, you should be able to do with the
>> keyboard, and vice versa."
>>
>> Why? Should I be able to enter text with my thermometer? Scan in images
>> with my trackball? Tell the time of day with my knob box?
>>
>> Don't be ridiculous.
>> 
>>        -- Charles
>
>I'll give you 4 reasons.  The first and foremost was stated by the original
>requester, I'll rephrase it:  Some people may have handicaps
>which allow them to use a keyboard but not a mouse.

and more arguments as to why keyboards should be able to perform other
input device functions.

Andy, you got the comment backwards. The idea is that the "vice versa"
isn't correct in all cases. Your "4 reasons" have little to do with
the "Why?" above.

I think that we can all see why keyboards must be able to implement
pointing device functions. The question is: should various external
devices be able to implement all keyboard functions? Charles' point
is that some devices are specialized in such a way that complete
interchangeability is not possible. You could enter text with a
thermometer (and some way to say "now!"), but the only person that
would want to do that is someone that is completely paralyzed but
has body temperature control.

I will say that a mouse or trackball with a reasonable number of buttons
can be used in the place of a keyboard given proper software, and
at some future date it should be possible to interchange "pointing
devices". I can see it now: system troubleshooters with their favorite
mice and trackballs hanging from their belts as they go from system, much
like slide-rules and calculators have done in the world of math and
engineering in the past.
-- 
David Elliott		{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!mips!dce