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From: leet@copper.UUCP (Lee Thomas)
Newsgroups: net.database
Subject: Re: a word to the wise
Message-ID: <74@copper.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Aug-85 13:01:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: copper.74
Posted: Wed Aug 21 13:01:43 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 17:43:31 EDT
References: <578@bu-cs.UUCP>
Reply-To: leet@copper.UUCP (Lee Thomas)
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 29
Summary: 

In article <578@bu-cs.UUCP> sciore@bu-cs.UUCP (E Sciore) writes:
>Has anybody ever noticed that all the letters of the word "database" are
>typed with the left hand? Now the layout of the typewriter keyboard was
>designed to facilitate the even use of both hands. It follows,
>therefore, that writing about databases is not only unnatural, 
>but a lot harder than it appears.
>		Edward Sciore
>		Computer Science, BU

On my Dvorak-layout keyboard, the word "database" alternates evenly between
both hands (all vowels are typed with the left hand).  The "standard" keyboard
layout (a.k.a. the "qwerty" layout) was actually designed to slow down typists
on turn-of-the-century typewriters, because the keys would jam if you typed
too fast.  "Even use of both hands" had little, if anything, to do with it
(that WAS a consideration in the Dvorak design).

NOW TO REDEEM MYSELF for posting this article, by appending something to do
with databases :-)  :

Has anyone out there investigated the relationship between databases and the
"knowledge bases" of artificial intelligence?  That's a research interest of
mine.  Reply by mail if possible, and I'll summarize if absolutely necessary.


-- 
	Lee Thomas
	Software Development Products Division
	Design Automation Group
	Tektronix, Inc.