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Date:      Sun, 5 Mar 1995 14:18:57 +0200
From:      Heikki Suonsivu <hsu@cs.hut.fi>
To:        freebsd-current@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   Re: backspace now broken
Message-ID:  <199503051218.OAA12086@shadows.cs.hut.fi>
In-Reply-To: "Rodney W. Grimes"'s message of 4 Mar 1995 10:51:41 %2B0200

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   Okay, some keyboards do just have the <-- on that key, but many also have
   the word ``backspace'' or ``<-- backspace'' printed on the key.  I have
   never seen a PC keyboard with that key labeled ``delete''.
...
   I don't give a sh*t about what OS does what with what character, I care
   that FreeBSD generates the ascii code for the legend on most if not
   all keyboards.

I don't think it is wise to generate what the legend says, but it should
generate the ASCII character which removes the previously typed character,
which is the expected behavior of the backspace key (the big one with <--
or backspace in it).  ASCII standard says this character code is 0x7f, DEL,
RUBOUT, ^?, not ^H, which is *non-destructive* backspace.  This is also
consistent with what most programs and users expect to see.

IBM messed this up in DOS, but they have never been known of their
consistent following of standards.

My vote goes to ^?.

-
Heikki Suonsivu, T{ysikuu 10 C 83/02210 Espoo/FINLAND,
hsu@cs.hut.fi  home +358-0-8031121 work -4513377 fax -4555276  riippu SN



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