Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/04/12

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards
From: eperea at walkereng.com (Emilio Perea)
Date: Wed Apr 12 23:58:21 2006
References: <20060411153822.GA2089@panix.com> <3.0.2.32.20060411213146.026c8920@pop.infionline.net> <m2slojim37.fsf@pobox.com> <0B5E4E92B07F737BB872729A@hindolveston.reid.org> <20060412045253.GB5236@panix.com>

On Wed, Apr 12, 2006 at 12:52:53AM -0400, Rei Shinozuka wrote:
> 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.

I'm pretty sure it was IBM, but don't remember on which model it was
first perpetrated.  Toshiba kept the old layout on their laptops longer
than most, but after a year or two of offering swappable <Ctrl> and
<CapsLock> keycaps, they accepted the unconditional surrender.

A few weeks ago I indulged myself with an Avant Stellar keyboard
http://cvtinc.com/products/keyboards/stellar.htm

This is too expensive (by non-Leica standards), but it uses the old Alps
key switches that IBM used to use and all keys (except for the right
Ctrl) are programmable.  A key puller and replacement <Ctrl> and
<CapsLock> keys are included.  So I put the <Ctrl> and <Esc> keys where
they belong, and then got carried away and moved a few more keys around
so that now I'm not sure where <`~> ended up.  Oh, yes, right where
right <Alt> was...

BTW, as a vi user I don't understand how people can use emacs with any
keyboard layout whatsoever. :-)

Replies: Reply from dcm at pobox.com (David C Mason) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)
Reply from datamaster at northcoastphotos.com (Gary Todoroff) ([Leica] Lympa Log - new photos just posted)
Reply from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([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)
Message from shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka) ([Leica] Re: Touch typing keyboards)