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Path: utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!ian
From: ian@utcsstat.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: why are microcomputer keyboard designs brain-damaged?
Message-ID: <670@utcsstat.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Jun-83 16:40:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.670
Posted: Mon Jun 13 16:40:04 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 13-Jun-83 19:16:33 EDT
Organization: U. of Toronto, Canada
Lines: 16

I'm sure the design of the keyboard comes from the brain of the
designer, from which draw your own conclusions...

In particular, this is one of the drawbacks of buying a micro-in-a-box:
you can't replace one part of it if the design is botched. Bus-based
systems, or even single-board designs which allow attachment of any
random serial ASCII console, give you a lot more freedom of choice.
If you have reasonable software (a la termcap) you can adapt the
system to the console without a soldering iron or a wire-wrap tool.

On the other hand, if writing a termcap entry is not your cup of tea,
(and I'm not being hostile here, merely discriminating between
programmers and the non-programming user) then buy the micro-in-a-box
and live with the keyboard.

Ian Darwin, Toronto