Seiler%mit-xx@sri-unix.UUCP (06/24/83)
From: Larry Seiler <Seiler@mit-xx>
Keyboards should have arrow keys for cursor movement, and the left arrow
key should NOT be used for the delete character function (TRS-80 does this).
But more than that, there should be NOT be function keys surrounding the
arrow keys (such as the IBM PC keyboard has, among others). It's too easy
to hit one of the function keys while moving the cursor, and have bad things
happen (hitting the wrong arrow key is a mistake that is easy to see & fix).
Maybe other people have eyes in their fingers and don't make typing mistakes,
but when I use a keyboard with arrow keys and function keys (eg, erase screen,
new page, etc.) grouped together, I go crazy.
Larry Seiler
-------GUMBY%MIT-OZ%mit-mc@sri-unix.UUCP (06/25/83)
From: David Vinayak Wallace <GUMBY%MIT-OZ@mit-mc>
Date: Thursday, 23 June 1983 17:53-EDT
From: Larry Seiler <Seiler at mit-xx>
Keyboards should have arrow keys for cursor movement...
Funny, I happen to hate to use arrow keys. I find that moving my
hands from the "home" position slows me down too much. This is the
same reason I don't like mice, trackballs, or anything like that for
most editing. They are fine for LARGE cursor movements (where your
brain has to do a context switch anyway) or for programs with little
text entry. But I find it usually too distracting to have to pause to
realign my fingers.
davidMCMANIS%usc-eclc@sri-unix.UUCP (06/25/83)
From: Chuck McManis <MCMANIS@usc-eclc> Of course the answer to cursor position is to use the Hughes Aircraft Pilot Line of Sight indicator in their heads up display hardware. A small laser is bounced off of the eye and where the operator is looking is computed. In their case a target indicator appears, for a computer a cursor is sufficient. No arrows, no mouse, nothing. (no sentence) --Chuck -------