Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/04/11

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards
From: shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka)
Date: Tue Apr 11 21:53:07 2006
References: <20060411153822.GA2089@panix.com> <3.0.2.32.20060411213146.026c8920@pop.infionline.net> <m2slojim37.fsf@pobox.com> <0B5E4E92B07F737BB872729A@hindolveston.reid.org>

who made the dastardly decision to shanghai the Control-Key from its
place next to the "A" down to the useless position near the bottom 
left and put in its important place the useless caps-lock key?
i recall the dec vt220's could be bought with either "right" or "wrong"
keyboard configurations.  i don't understand how anyone can use
emacs or vi with the wrong-way control setup.  the escape key should
also be just left of the "1" key.

in linux, if you are stuck with a bad keyboard, you can xmodmap
things correctly.  i use keytweak to get the keys in the right places
on my thinkpad when i use echs-pee (forced to, by schoolwork).

for my desktop, at least one manufacturer makes a correct keyboard,
fujitsu of all companies:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/pfuca-store/haphackeylit1.html

it's also super-small,  11 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches, which gives
me maximial room on my criminally cluttered desk.

-rei

On Apr11 20:14, Brian Reid wrote:
> I can type 120 to 140 words per minute in a proper chair with a good 
> keyboard.
> When I worked at  Digital Equipment Corporation in the 1990s I had their 
> keyboard people hand-make me a custom keyboard to my specifications. I 
> like 
> to believe I know something about keyboards.
> 
> IBM keyboards are very good, but the very best keyboards ever made were 
> made by Facit, in Sweden, for their electric typewriters. In the early 
> days 
> of interactive computing, Facit would sell you a typewriter that had been 
> reconfigured to work like a teletype. There were binary codes drilled in 
> the keys, and as each swung towards the paper, a photocell noted the 
> sequence of holes and transmitted the appropriate character. I used to be 
> able to do 150 words per minute on a Facit.
> 
> These days I use the standard Apple keyboard, which isn't bad.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

-- 
Rei Shinozuka shino@panix.com
Ridgewood, New Jersey


Replies: Reply from eperea at walkereng.com (Emilio Perea) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)
In reply to: Message from shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)
Message from msmall at infionline.net (Marc James Small) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)
Message from dcm at pobox.com (David C Mason) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)
Message from reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)