Two Enter Buttons on MB Keyboard?
Does anyone know what the difference between the normal return/enter key and the second button that has a similar function which is between the right command button and left arrow key.
I really dont understand why there would be two enter keys ie the ones with a arrow pointing up at a a line right on top of it?
Thanks
I really dont understand why there would be two enter keys ie the ones with a arrow pointing up at a a line right on top of it?
Thanks
Comments
In some Mac word processors, return will drop down one line while the enter key on the number pad will do a page break. Most of the time they're mapped to do the same function to make it more common with PC software.
I've never seen it used as a page break, but there are some programs that make a distinction. The distinction is more subtle than the delete/backspace distinction. I have some programs that treat the keys differently and do use that to my advantage, but it's now second nature to me, so I don't remember which program. \
David
Also, it creates a compatibility problem with Macs and regular PC keyboards, since the keyboards generally only have one of these keys.
Can't help but to hope the use of the lowest row key quietly dies in Mac software and then the physical key itself goes to prevent developers using it in the future.
Also, it creates a compatibility problem with Macs and regular PC keyboards, since the keyboards generally only have one of these keys.
Er, what now? I don't remember the last time I've seen a regular-sized keyboard without both keys.
I think the enter-key was probably placed on the numpad for convenience as some people will use it like a calculator. Then some programmers decided they could do with an extra key so changed the function in certain instances.
I'm not a fan of the numpad at all because I think it wastes space having two sets of numbers. I find the layout useful but why can't they get rid of the top row of numbers and move the numpad to the right side of the qwerty keyboard and move all those brackets, semicolons etc above the letters?
I'm a bit tired of the qwerty keyboard too. I find the alphabetic keyboards on phones more intuitive. Why teach us the alphabet since we were kids and then ask us to type on a board with letters thrown about randomly? The qwerty was designed for typists to stop typewriters jamming so it's completely unnecessary and as mobile phones have shown, people can easily pick up a new layout.
The way I would do it is have a rectangular grid of 12x3 with the numpad at the far right. Then there would be 12 symbol keys (each key with two symbols). There would be one enter key to the right of the numpad and shift-enter would be return.
This way every keyboard reduces to about 3/4 the size but has better functionality. Then laptops would be the same as desktops too.
I'm a bit tired of the qwerty keyboard too. I find the alphabetic keyboards on phones more intuitive. Why teach us the alphabet since we were kids and then ask us to type on a board with letters thrown about randomly? The qwerty was designed for typists to stop typewriters jamming so it's completely unnecessary and as mobile phones have shown, people can easily pick up a new layout.
Pretty much all smartphones, that is all phones which has room for it, use the QWERTY standard, though. Ordinary alphabet order is probably not the best nor fastest order anyway.
I'm not a fan of the numpad at all because I think it wastes space having two sets of numbers. I find the layout useful but why can't they get rid of the top row of numbers and move the numpad to the right side of the qwerty keyboard and move all those brackets, semicolons etc above the letters?
I don't think that would be worthwhile. The numpad keys would then have three different meanings each, depending on the mode.
I don't think it makes sense to condense a desktop keyboard to be like a notebook keyboard, because the notebook keyboard generally has significant compromises made so it is portable. However, if you do want such a keyboard for desktop use, I believe there are a few options. Some that I am aware of are the Happy Hacking keyboards.
Ordinary alphabet order is probably not the best nor fastest order anyway.
I honestly don't think any order is faster than another. It's just a case of how well you know a given layout. That may well be a case for keeping qwerty but the alphabet has been around far longer than computers. There are too many variables to determine which layout is faster.
I don't think that would be worthwhile. The numpad keys would then have three different meanings each, depending on the mode.
What are those meanings?
I don't think it makes sense to condense a desktop keyboard to be like a notebook keyboard, because the notebook keyboard generally has significant compromises made so it is portable. However, if you do want such a keyboard for desktop use, I believe there are a few options. Some that I am aware of are the Happy Hacking keyboards.
There are no compromises made by moving the numpad and replacing the line of numbers. All it's doing is removing redundant keys. I don't believe that a keyboard should be bigger than the reach of the fingers and full size keyboards are.
I use a powerbook and the only thing it lacks is a numpad. On my full size keyboard, I rarely use the number line for numbers.
I honestly don't think any order is faster than another. It's just a case of how well you know a given layout. That may well be a case for keeping qwerty but the alphabet has been around far longer than computers. There are too many variables to determine which layout is faster.
Optimising the key layout for minimal finger travel should help a bit. Though there really should be a keyboard layout for each language in that case, and one for programming.
http://abckeyboard.co.uk/
http://www.engadget.com/2005/01/03/n...ards-53-keyer/
As usual, someone else has thought of the same thing :
http://abckeyboard.co.uk/
http://www.engadget.com/2005/01/03/n...ards-53-keyer/
The first one might go over very well assuming you can market it to the right people. Just from the comments and from the looks that the second one is not going to be nearly so popular, and the gadget fan crowd is the kind that's not normally so put off by something that looks complicated. Heck, if you look at the close-up on their site, most of the keys represent five different characters. That doesn't look like fun to me.
http://www.newstandardkeyboards.com/images/End535S.jpg