[comp.misc] EMACS keyboards

toma@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (08/20/90)

In article <32974@cup.portal.com> ekalenda@cup.portal.com (Edward John Kalenda) writes:
>EMACS is left hand intensive because the control key is on the left side
>and it's easier to type control characters with one hand than two. [...]
>If there had been a control key on
>the right side, there would be left and right control key commands in EMACS
>with the middle group of keys unused since they would be the only ones
>difficult to reach.

Actually, there are more control keys available with the left hand anyway.
*All* control keys are used by EMACS, no mater how difficult.

Left: qwertasdfgzxcvb^@ = 17 (or 16 on systems that use ^S for flow control)

Right: yuop[]_hjkln\ = 13

control I is tab and control M is carriage return,
and thus are not suitable for commands (well, technically in EMACS they are
commands).

>Remember, EMACS was designed to run on keyboards with NO extra keys other
>than cursor arrows. 

Actually no extra keys, period. The cursor keys are not needed.

>Keyboards with function keys were quite modern and
>innovative at the time. Hence the use of control keys for common commands.

Personally, I hate function keys because they force you to remove your hands
from the keyboard. 


Tom Almy
toma@tekgvs.labs.tek.com
Standard Disclaimers Apply

zane@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Sameer Parekh) (08/23/90)

Mail to whomever was having the mouse survey bounced so
I use my right to write, throw, bat, play tennis, etc.
and my right to mouse.

I think being ambidextrous would be VERY helpful but my left is very weak.

-- 
Sameer Parekh           |  Disclaimer: I do not work for anyone.    
Libertyville IL 60048   |        ()_____________ ()
(708)-362-9659          |         /             \        
zane@ddsw1.MCS.COM      |        ~~~~/~~~~~~~\~~~~

utoddl@uncecs.edu (Todd M. Lewis) (08/25/90)

In article <7982@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> toma@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) writes:
>
>Personally, I hate function keys because they force you to remove your hands
>from the keyboard. 

Personally, I hate keyboards because they force me to remove oneh hand
from the mouse.
  To each her own...
  Todd