Bug#524235: Default alt-gr key replacement should be right alt for usa keyboard.

[Anton Zinoviev <anton@lml.bas.bg>]

On Mon, May 04, 2009 at 08:12:08PM +0200, Kurt Roeckx wrote:
> 
> And it shouldn't make both keys work the same.  They never have
> worked the same for me.  One is a Left Alt, the other a Right Alt.
>
> > > It seems I need to select the "Right Alt" option to make my
> > > keyboard work like it used to again.  I didn't have any kind
> > > of configuration before.

Now I see -- most traditional keyboard layouts are defining the right 
Alt as AltGr (including the default one).  In the past console-setup did 
the same but there were some complaints from American users who did not 
like this behaviour.  So now by default for 'us' layout both Alts are 
equal.  You are right -- you have to point the right Alt as AltGr key if 
you want the old behaviour.  Alternatively you can use the Alt+Shift 
combination instead of AltGr.

> > I don't understand why you need AltGr - the standard us layout doesn't 
> > have any symbol for AltGr.  Maybe you are using some other layout?
> 
> It doesn't have any AltGr.

Actually it does -- according to the Linux kernel AltL is an alias for 
Alt and AltR is an alias for AltGr.

> Yet, some key combinations work differently depeding on wether you use 
> the left or the right alt key.
>
> Some of those are:
> left alt + numeric keys: Type char in decimal notation
> right alt + numeric keys: Type char in hex notation
> left alt + F1-12: Switch to vc 1-12
> right alt + F1-12: Switch to vc 13-24
> left alt acts like the meta key, the right alt does't.

I suppose all these are working if in the configuration of console-setup 
you select the right Alt to be AltGr?  If not, this is a bug that needs 
a fix.

Anton Zinoviev