Re: [tlug] US keyboards

["Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon" <ronfaxon@example.com>]

Evan Monroig wrote:

> > > [JG] I don't know the answer to your question, but I have to say, after
> > > expressing a strong opinion on Japanese keyboards (I think I may have
> > > implied that "they suck"), I have now come to believe that they may be
> > > *better* for coders and sysadmins. Having '@' and ':' accessible
> > > without resorting to the Shift key is pretty wonderful. :)
> > >      
> > [IW] Tiny delete keys are baaad.  As are mode-change keys where I want to hit
> > the spacebar.
> >    
>
> Same here ^^. I like the @ but not the small spacebar...
>
> By the way I never managed to map the mode-change keys next to
> spacebar to anything useful with linux (Debian/Ubuntu). Anyone has
> done miracles with these?
>  
I spent five years using Japanese keyboards, and while I was used to 
using them, those bloody extra keys on both sides of the space bar - 
both the needless extra J-keys (the F-keys did everything I need, like 
converting hiragana to katakana) and the mutant-W keys were a constant 
source of frustration not only by making it harder to use the tiny space 
bar but also through occasionally getting hit and producing errors. Then 
one fine day I stumbled upon some new old US-101 keyboards (squeaky new 
and never used, but an old model, not the mutant 104 version with 
bloody-W mutations) in Akihabara in a shop that was about to move and 
was selling off some old stuff. I looked at one doubtfully, but decided 
to buy it and try it out at the office. I took it back, plugged it in, 
started typing... and then thought "Wow!! This is really easy to type 
on!" The feel is one reason - it doesn't have that overly soft mushy 
feel that most keyboards seem to have, and the large space bar with 
large Ctrl & Alt keys on both sides with no mutant-W poison keys to get 
in the way is the other thing. I liked it so much I rushed back to that 
shop and bought four more (in three trips - one that night and two the 
next day), one for the office, three for home, and one for a friend.

For writing, the apostrophe is much more often used than @, so I've 
never gone along with that defense of the J-version, but whatever you 
like I guess. What is really important though is having clear and easy 
access to Ctrl and Alt keys on both sides of a large space bar (with 
space on both sides of all five keys). For example, wiring in a dark 
room at night, I can easily use Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+Z 
completely by touch (keeping my eyes on the screen or closing them for a 
rest) by using the large Ctrl key on the right side of the space bar and 
having my left hand positioned via the bump on the "F" key. (It can be 
done on other keyboards, but with the keys all crammed together, it's 
easier to make mistakes when doing things by touch in the dark.)

Regarding the Delete key... in looking at a Dell English 104 keyboard I 
picked up for Y300 last Wednesday (used from Otto - but there was only 
one of the new black type and one old and discolored type, I bought the 
newer of the two), I see that it has a horizontally wider (not entirely 
correct terminology, but "wide" conjures up the wrong imagine somehow) 
Backspace key. Isn't that what has been mentioned actually? The 
Backspace key and not the Delete key? Don't (nearly) all desktop 
computers have the same:

Insert Home Page Up
Delete End Page Down

- arrangement? That "Insert" key is a major headache for writing by the 
way - but that problem is easily remedied by pulling that sucker off the 
keyboard (which doesn't damage anything, as it can be put back at any 
time - just use a key or screwdriver to gently pry it off).

Another thing I didn't see mentioned is the size of the Return key - the 
one on my 101 Funai keyboard is large like the J-keyboards (which I 
like), which does come at the expense of the Backspace key, but - at 
least for touch typing while writing - I don't have any problems with it 
since it's in the far upper corner and thus not easily mixed up with 
anything else. I've had more trouble with 104 keyboards when I reach 
over for Return and end up getting the key above it....

Incidentally, I temporarily lost some key functionality when I spilled 
my cup of green tea into my keyboard, but disconnecting it and putting 
up with a junk keyboard for a few days while it dried out - I was 
relieved to find that it was back to normal when I reconnected it - I 
sure am glad there was no sugar in that water!

Lyle