Re: Emacs keyboard

[B. T. Raven]

> Am 13.12.2012 um 04:07 schrieb B. T. Raven:
> 
>> Does any of you know of a keyboard still in production that has
>> dedicated keys for both alt and meta keys? (two of each, one right and
>> one left).
> 
> Is this one OK? http://www.apple.com/keyboard/

This is more like it, except with the shift keys moved to the bottom row
inboard of the control keys and the space bar split into backspace-space:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Space-cadet.jpg


Anyway, thanks, William, J G, and Peter. The apple keyboard has only two
mod keys flanking the space bar; I want four of them flanking the space
bar and back space bar so they can be used just as a traditional typist
uses the shift key: right hand mod key with left hand alpha and vice
versa. It seem like a shame to waste the alpha key on exotic character
generation when input methods accomplish that much more elegantly.

If you wanted currency signs at your finger tips you could do

(global-set-key [(control $)] (lambda () (interactive)  (insert  ?€ )))
€
(global-set-key [(meta $)] (lambda () (interactive)  (insert  ?£ )))
£
(global-set-key [(super meta $)] (lambda () (interactive)  (insert  ?¥ )))
¥
 or even the generic currency sign ¤, but the input methods offer a more
intuitive way. In latin-postfix Y= produces the yen sign. Someone should
add the other 25 most common currency symbol to this input method: i.e.
E= makes euro sign, etc. If you wanted to write E=mc² while this input
method were active you would have to type the = sign twice to turn the
euro sign back into E=

super meta is needed on w32 since the os traps super (windows key) ? for
some security hocus pocus. The strict opposite hand mod key practice can
easily be dropped in special cases like (org-mode) C-c C-x C-i where
it's easier to hold the control key down with one hand and hunt and peck
for the alpha keys with the other hand, but typing left ctl and then
right ctl (Dvorak layout) isn't really much slower when you get used to
it. That way contorsions are never involved.

Ed



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>   Pete
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