Re: Apt UI design
On Wed, Oct 28, 1998 at 01:30:24PM +0000, Jules Bean wrote:
> --On Tue, Oct 27, 1998 8:29 pm -0800 "Joseph Carter" <knghtbrd@debian.org>
> wrote:
> >> I've just added this piece of text to the design, which solves our
> >> problems I think:
> >>
> >> Since not all terminals have an Alt key there are two alternatives:
> when
> >> using X we will use Meta1 and for other systems we use escape as a
> prefix.
> >
> > Escape as a prefix is the standard, that's what Alt-key SENDS!
>
> Nope.
>
> Escape as a prefix is standard yes. However, the Alt-key does no such
> thing. In fact, what each modifier precisely does is a function of
> keyboard, keyboard driver, kernel and environment (by which I mean, for
> example console mode or X mode).
>
> The META key, as a standard, sets the high bit of each byte. It is common
> for ESC-<x> to be caught, and then interpreted as M-<x>. Linux PCs, because
> they don't have meta keys, and because the Alt-key was generally pretty
> underused in un*x system, decided to map Alt to Meta, so that the Alt key is
> in fact a Meta key, which is generally the same as a prefix escape.
>
> Of course, given that PC keyboards now have more keys, it might make more
> sense for Alt to send ALT, and use the Windows key for META. But that would
> confuse people lots :-)
Hmm I tend to think the "Windows Key" makes a perfectly fine META key :)
what else would you do with it?
Im almost tempted to rubb off the Windows logo and paint a little
diamond shape on it (one of the reasons I bought a SparcStation was the REAL
meta key)
Certainly on any keyboard which has these it makes sense (my current keyboard
here has no Wind..er Meta key :) )
-Steve
--
/* -- Stephen Carpenter <sjc@delphi.com> --- <sjc@debian.org>------------ */
"There are two major products that come out of Berkeley: LSD and UNIX.
We don't believe this to be a coincidence."
-- Jeremy S. Anderson
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