Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!microsof!fluke!kurt From: kurt@fluke.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro Subject: brain damaged (?) keyboards Message-ID: <578@vax2.UUCP> Date: Wed, 22-Jun-83 11:05:07 EDT Article-I.D.: vax2.578 Posted: Wed Jun 22 11:05:07 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 24-Jun-83 08:49:00 EDT Lines: 28 The keyboard on the commodore 64 is not braindamaged, it just is not optimized for programming in C. Remember that the c64 is a consumer keyboard, not a programmer keyboard. The intended use of the keyboard is for writing letters and BASIC programs. To this end you should notice several features not found on programmer keyboards. All the operator sysbols '+', '-', '*', '/', '=' are on unshifted keys. Notice too that Commodore's nonstandard notion of character sets (unacceptable to programmers) does not cause any problems for consumers who buy only Commodore components, and allows compatibility with previous Commodore products. Also notice that the keyboard and character set are reprogrammable (although nobody seems to know how to reprogram the keyboard). My personal favorite keyboard is the VT52/VT100, which may be an ANSI standard (I know the control sequences on these terminals are). I have some general requirements for a good keyboard: unshifted delete key, quote keys not on the numbers row, access to all the various brackets, backslash, tilde, and vertical bar. Additionally, I find having matching brackets on adjacent keys more convenient that having the pairs on shifted/unshifted versions of the same key. I find I don't use the number pad too much and the same goes for function keys. Unless your software is specifically tailored to your keyboard, it can't use many of these extra keys anyway. Another point: good human interface almost always evolves in the direction of fewer controls. All those function keys are less useful than a better control device. Is a mouse that device? a trackball? touchpad? light pen? touch sensitive CRT overlay...?