Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!van-bc!ubc-cs!alberta!herald.usask.ca!ccu.umanitoba.ca!tilley
From: tilley@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Richard Tilley)
Subject: Re: Keyboards (was Re: Low End NeXTs)
Message-ID: <1991Apr12.051725.3201@ccu.umanitoba.ca>
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
References: <1991Apr9.201449.25220@math.ucla.edu> <13901@adobe.UUCP> <10040@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 91 05:17:25 GMT
Lines: 24

In <10040@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> blissmer@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Kevin) writes:

>>In case some keyboard entrepreneur is monitoring this thread and has plans  
>>for capturing a sizable portion of the 500,000 projected NeXT units to be  
>>shipped in 91 I would like to make a sincere request for an optional keyboard  
>>without the numeric key pad. I am experiencing repetitive motion problems  
>>caused by having to move so far to get to the mouse.

The number of "favorite keyboards" is exactly equal to the total number of
unique keyboards ever produced. Mine is the original Mac keyboard that came
with the 128, 512, and, i think, 512E. The mouse was right next to the return key.

>Why not have future NeXTs come with ADB.  Apple seems much more willing to
>license these technologies and it would open up a wide realm of input devices
>to the NeXT.

A common suggestion. I expect zero people would disagree.
It is also frequently pointed out that it is easy to learn a new keyboard.
This is also true. What is not easy is changing on a daily basis.
It is much more important for all keyboards to be similar than to have the
keys in the "right place". Even the new keyboard would be OK if PC's, Macs,
Suns used a similar one. They won't. That is why it is such a mistake.


