Keyboard key labels

From: Andy Holt <andyh_at_andyh-rayleigh.freeserve.co.uk>
Date: Sun Nov 24 01:13:00 2002

A less cynical view would be that many non-USA keyboards have 3 or more
symbols associated with a key and thus "standard" keycaps are designed to
take up to 4 symbols in a regular pattern.

> Just making a guess here, but I'll bet the pad
> printing is less likely to wear off if it's off to one
> corner. Modern keyboards ARE junky. I'll bet you can't
> find any modern example of a double-shot molded keytop
> keyboard.
>
>
> --- Sark <ian_primus_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Ever notice that on modern keyboards, the letters on
> > the keys are not
> > in the middle of the key? They are off to the left.
> > This is something
> > that has always kind of annoyed me. I like the way
> > the older keyboards
> > were made, like on the VT100 terminal. Not only did
> > they have real
> > switches and a great feel, but the letters were
> > right there in the
> > middle of the key, where they should be. Not only
> > that, but the labels
> > on these old keyboards actually went all the way
> > through the key - it
> > was made of two different colors of plastic. This
> > way, the letters
> > wouldn't wear off. It's obvious why they changed the
> > key switches - to
> > make the keyboard cheaper. That and some people are
> > weird and don't
> > like the wonderful sounds that the older keyboards
> > made. (I hate quiet
> > keyboards...) But why were the letters moved? Was
> > this cheaper or
> > easier? Or did Apple suddenly do it and then
> > everyone else followed
> > suit? <grin> Does anyone know what computer started
> > using this style
> > of keycap labeling?
> >
> > Just curious.
> >
> > Ian Primus
> > ian_primus_at_yahoo.com
> >
Andy
Received on Sun Nov 24 2002 - 01:13:00 GMT