[comp.os.minix] support for extended keyboard; color screen support

hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu (Charles Hedrick) (09/30/88)

The doc file for 1.3c should note the following two things:

1) in the startup screen (where you usually type = to start
minix), there are two new options: u and d.  These are intended
for use with the "extended" keyboard.  "d" handles special
Dutch characters (you'll have to ask ast what they do).  "u"
is for a U.S. extended keyboard.  A U.S. extended keyboard works
fine with "=".  However many oldtime Unix users find the 
position of caps lock and ~ very unfortunate.  caps lock is
where the control key should be and ~ is where the ESC key
should be.  If you use "=", the keyboard will work as labelled.
If you use "u", the mapping will be switched to handle the
caps lock and ESC problems:

  the key labelled CAPS LOCK will become an alterate control
	key.  The key labelled CTRL will also still work.
	There will be no way to get CAPS LOCK.  (This is
	considered to be a feature.)

  ESC and ` will be reversed.  That is, the key labelled
	with ~ and ` will actually work as ESC when
	unshifted.  When shifted it will still be ~.
	The key labelled ESC will actually work as ` when
	unshifted.  When shifted it will still be ESC.

2) The ESC [ nn m sequence now contains support for color
monitors.  The values that work with both monochrome and
color are:

  ESC [ 0 m - return to default.  This cancels bold, underline,
	blink, and inverse video.  (Actually you get this
	effect with any value of nn that is not defined.
	However it's safest to use 0.)

  ESC [ 1 m  - bold (sets the intensity bit in monochrome,
	changes the foreground to red in color)

  ESC [ 4 m  - underline (sets underline in monochrome,
	changes the foreground to blue in color.  Note that
	underline is not possible to do with color display
	adapters)

  ESC [ 5 m  - blink (sets blink in monochrome, changes
	the foreground to magenta in color.  Blink is not
	possible to do with color display adapters)

  ESC [ 7 m  - inverse video (for color, simply reverses
	current foreground and background colors.  For
	monochrome, fg and bg are not as orthogonal.  Comes
	as close as possible to doing inverse video.)

  ESC [ 3x m - sets foreground color
  ESC [ 4x m - sets background color
	This changes the current foreground or background part of
	both the current color and the default color.
	The colors are defined by ANSI:
	  30, 40: black
	  31, 41: red
	  32, 42: green
	  33, 43: yellow
	  34, 44: blue
	  35, 45: magenta
	  36, 46: cyan
	  37, 47: white
	The only patterns that make much sense for a monochrome
	screen are 0, 7, and in some cases 4 (which turns into
	underlining).

Note the difference between using ESC [ 7 m to do inverse video and
using ESC [ 47 m ESC [ 30 m to set black on white: Inverse video is
"temporary".  It will be cancelled by the next ESC [ 0 m.  A change
done with 3x and 4x is permanent.  So you'd use the first to invert
things for something like the Emacs mode line, and the second to
permanently invert the screen if you like black on white instead of
black on white.