Date: Wed, 09 May 2001 09:53:00 -0400 From: dochawk@psu.edu To: Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com> Cc: "Geoffrey T. Cheshire" <gtc@cheshirelaw.com>, freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: My perfect laptop! Message-ID: <200105091353.f49Dr0N38765@fac13.ds.psu.edu> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 09 May 2001 09:58:47 %2B0930." <20010509095847.M68969@wantadilla.lemis.com>
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greg gabbed >>>> 2. All ThinkPads I have seen have the Fn key at bottom left where the >>>> Alt key should be. If it were anything else (Ctrl, for example), >>>> it could be remapped, but you can't remap the Fn key. Is this >>>> still the case on your machine? > On Tuesday, 8 May 2001 at 17:11:59 -0700, Geoffrey T. Cheshire wrote: > > The Fn key is a bit of a bummer--especially with the flipping WinKey next to > > it (which I don't even use in Windows!), but in my experience all laptops > > have some funky key placement that takes a bit of time to get used to > > (especially with all the emacs key sequences :) The fn key on my new A21p is in the lower left, and I think it's in the same place on my old 755c. The alt keys are on either side of the space bar, just like every other pc keyboard I can recall using (how else would you hit them with your thumbs, which is what I think I do . . .) Windows key? neither has one . . . Given that the fn key controls hardware functions, it would be hard to let it remape . . . > Agreed. But if you have an alternative, this speaks against the > ThinkPad. The Dell Inspiron series also have most of the other > features, and they have a Ctrl key in the bottom left corner, so I can > remap it to Alt. I'm just amazed anyone *wants* a modifier that far out. My hands aren't basket-ball huge, but they're large. After a few days of intensive emacs use on a control-key-in-exile keyboard (the lower left instead of next to the A where God meant it to be), I actually had to see a physician for muscle strain . . . fortunately, a little pie ce of plastic just happened to fall out of the keyboard, and the mechanical toggle stopped working (now *I* wouldn't have tampered with a university machine . . . :) so that I could remap. Serves me right for using that heretical operating system cum editor, anyway :) > > I have to defend the eraser pointer. After using IBM and Toshiba > > laptops for years now, I cannot stand touchpads. They are extremely > > imprecise in comparison, and make dragging the pointer to highlight > > text very difficult. Also, I find that having the pointer in the > > middle of the keyboard is great--no need to move your hands away > > from the typing position to mouse. > Hmm. Certainly I'd give it a try. It's become my second favorite layout. *anything* that makes me lift my hands from the keyboard tends to make me cranky (one of the reasons that windows drives me nuts). I can move the red thing with my fingers in place, and all three buttons are reachable by my thumb (yep, the middle button (below the L and R) works under X). The only layout I've preferred is the old 1xx series Powerbooks (I had a 180), but I doubt the design would carry well to multiple buttons. THere were buttons above *and* below the trackball, so you could mouse & click with your thumb from the keyboard, and you could also forefinger & thumb the ball and lower button. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure that I prefer that to the red button. It took a touch of getting used to, but now it's great. hawk -- Prof. Richard E. Hawkins, Esq. /"\ ASCII ribbon campaign dochawk@psu.edu Smeal 178 (814) 375-4700 \ / against HTML mail These opinions will not be those of X and postings Penn State until it pays my retainer. / \ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message
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