Re: Emacs keyboard

[James Freer <jessejazza3.uk@gmail.com>]

On Sun, Jan 6, 2013 at 3:51 AM, Filipp Gunbin <fgunbin@fastmail.fm> wrote:
> On 05/01/2013 04:33, David Combs wrote:
>
>> I find that standard keyboards, with the control-key down at the
>> bottom, a real pain to use with emacs, vi, and any other program
>> that uses control-chars as commands.
>>
>> Sun (er, oracle) makes that type of keyboard, but
>> also makes one with the control key immediately left
>> of the "A" key, where it was on the original
>> teletype-like machine (name escapes me now, but it
>> ended in "33").
>>
>> That placement sure makes it easier to use programs
>> like emacs and vi.
>>
>> David
>
> But, with control in the home row you lose symmetry. I find it most
> convenient to press all modifiers with one hand and the actual key with
> another. That would not be possible with one control in all cases. And
> with chords consisting only of Control, Alt and Shift, it's much less
> pain to have Control at the bottom... Control in the home row is best
> for simple keys like `C-f', but what to do with `C-M-t', for example?
>
> --
> Filipp Gunbin

Having done a bit of experimenting i agree. However, making capslock
control, keeping symmetry in place (with the two ctrl bottom left and
bottom right), the F12 or unused windows keys (bottom next to alt on
Uk keyboard anyway) is worth trying.

james