Re: Keyboard Madness!

[dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <3j8u4m$5ef@acme.freenet.columbus.oh.us>,
Dave Althoff <dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us> wrote:
> 
> Trouble is, as much as I like the GS, I HATE the little chicklet keyboard.
>  I'd rather have a nice big full-stroke keyboard that my fingers won't
> slide off of.  In fact, what I'd REALLY like is a genuine ][e keyboard
> adapted for the ADB.

Do what I did - get hold of the _original_ Apple Extended Keyboard (or
the Extended Keyboard II, which is pretty similar).

The only problems with the layout on these keyboards are that the ESC
key is way up in the top left corner, detached from the main keyboard
(the reverse quote key is in the original Esc position), the Caps Lock
key and Control key are swapped (there is also a right-hand Control
key), and the Return key is a horizontal rectangle instead of a
reversed L.  This is very similar to most PC extended keyboards.

The keyboard feels a lot more solid than the original IIgs keyboard.
In fact, it is the best keyboard I have ever used on any computer (and
a friend who has used a wide variety of PCs agrees with me).

If you don't like the rearranged keys, and don't need the extended
keyboard's added keys (numbered function keys, help, home, del, end,
page up, page down, right side Apple, Option and Control keys), then
you might like to find the original Apple Standard Keyboard (as used
with the Mac SE and Mac II).  This has the same layout as the IIgs
keyboard, but has a wider margin around the edge, and feels very
similar to the Extended keyboard.

There are third party extended keyboard which are not quite as good as
the Apple one, but are still better than the original IIgs keyboard
(IMHO).

The more recent "standard" keyboards are really bad by comparison with
the early ones.  They are cheap, look cheap and feel cheap.  The keys
are rearranged into weird places, as you said.

> How often do you use the CONTROL, ESC, CAPS-LOCK, and backquote keys?  If
> you are like me, you probably use the ESC and CONTROL keys fairly often,
> the CAPS LOCK seldom, and the back-quote almost never.  So why has the ESC
> key migrated to an inaccessible location next to the space bar, putting
> the back-quote up in the ESC corner?

> And don't give me that garbage about how the Pee Cee's all do it; it
> doesn't make any sense there, either!

It is probably an international standard.

> And I was upset when they moved the Solid Apple key to the other side of
> the keyboard, thus really screwing up my pinball game play...!

Yeah - that was annoying.  I had to play Raster Blaster with my
keyboard upside down or my hands crossed.  :-)
I then got an Extended Keyboard, and used the right side Apple and
Option keys.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand