Re: [Gzz] A preliminary quasimode-based interface for Fenfire and Loom

[Tuomas Lukka]

On Sun, Mar 23, 2003 at 02:11:27PM +0100, Benja Fallenstein wrote:
> Tuomas Lukka wrote:
> >>Text entered without pressing a modifier is simply normal
> >>text input. It goes where the text cursor is. If there
> >>is no text cursor, one is created at the end of the
> >>currently focused node or literal.
> >
> >Hmm, I dislike the "one is created" stuff - why not just always
> >have one? The user should see where the text will go...
> 
> Because the text at the beginning is most relevant for understanding 
> what the node is about, but wanting to type at the end of the node is 
> much more common than wanting to type at the beginning of the node. 
> I.e., when you're not typing, the text should be scrolled to the 
> beginning of the node, but when you start typing, it should jump to the end.
> 
> We could show a text cursor at the end anyway, which may be outside the 
> viewport before you start typing...

This is what I was looking for ;)

> >>Alt is used for the movement quasimode. That is, while you
> >>hold down Alt (and no other modifier), you can move around
> >>in the structure using the arrowsets known from zzstructure.
> >>Our arrowsets are 9-key: we have ``uiojkln,.`` and
> >>``wersdfxcv``. This allows convenient rotation of the
> >>wheel view.
> >>
> >>Pressing Shift while Alt is held down enters a special
> >>command quasimode. 
> >
> >Why not 'Ctrl'? Or one of the other modifiers that microsoft
> >has excreted on our keyboards?
> 
> Right, should've said that.
> 
> Mainly ergonomical reasons. Shift is easiest to type, Alt is next on 
> most keyboards today-- a nice big key left of the spacebar, which you 
> can easily reach with the thumb. 

But alt-shift is really bad...

Control, OTOH, can be mapped to be on caps lock.

Perhaps we should speak of "MODIFIER1" etc and let the user assign them?

> Using the thumb is especially nice as 
> it may be held down for long periods of time as you navigate the 
> structure, and the thumb is a) a strong finger and b) easy to use 
> independently of the other fingers, which you may need for typing the 
> arrow keys.

The position of the hand is not nice though...

> Also, Ctrl is not good in Loom because we want to integrate well with 
> PUIs, and many PUI users have habituated e.g. Ctrl-X/C/V for operating 
> the PUI clipboard, I think.

That's a good point.

> As for the MS keys, they have preprogrammed functions in Win which we 
> cannot control, plus do you really think we can trap them reliably among 
> Javas? I somehow cannot imagine they all use the same name for them :-)

This should not preclude their use on platforms where you *CAN* catch them...

        Tuomas