26 Aug
2004
26 Aug
'04
1:35 a.m.
>>>> "Philip" == Philip Pemberton
<philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com> writes:
Philip> In message <5.2.0.9.2.20040826070902.03153cc8(a)192.168.0.1> Ed
Philip> Kelleher <Pres(a)macro-inc.com> wrote:
> Worst keyboard: DEC LK201 on VT220 terminals - no
<ESC> key,
> misplaced angle bracket <> keys (both on same key),
Philip> Same thing with the keyboard that comes with the Liberty
Philip> Freedom ONE Plus terminals. Who decided to omit the <ESC> key
Philip> and put the angle brackets on the same key?
I believe the <> thing had something to do with international versions
of the keyboard layout, but I don't remember the details and I'm not
sure it made any sense in retrospect.
Note that this isn't the first time that punctuation moved around --
compare the shifted digits on an ASR33 keyboard with a PC keyboard.
As for the ESC, I think it was a combination of "no one needs that key
anymore" (decision made by people who didn't care about TECO because
the company law was that there is only one editor and its name is EDT)
and the fact that a standalone ESC code is a pain in the neck to
process when you have function keys that generate escape sequences.
paul