Wishes for an empeg suite...

its not really spelling but more or less typos.. if u noticed its just one letter before the other and what i meant was "maybe you could also auto install userland apps" my keyboard sticks so the keys dont hit as fast i as type, and i feel like im lagging if i slow down

Please take the trouble to check your posts before you press that big Continue button. I know it takes a few seconds of your precious time, but it might help to think of the thousands of seconds of readers' time you're saving.

It *is* worth making it easy for your readers; if nobody can read your stuff, they'll end up just skipping past it (I often do - and English is my native language).

Thank you in advance for you consideration.

Those sticky keyboards are a PITA...Do what I did and obtain a new one! You'd be amazed at how much your computer stress decreases...

The worst is a gunked up mouse....

Now, may I suggest: get a good old IBM heavy "clicking and clacking" (I made this up, I know it is not English, don't arrest me! ) keyboard. Ok, it's horribly noisy (well, I like that), it does not have the Windows key (many would appreciate it, here, I guess ), but:

1) It lasts virtually forever
2) It never fails
3) You can actually dismount the keys and CLEAN it (which is an horrible experience, by the way), if you want!

Mine works perfectly every day since 1993.

Please take the trouble to check your posts before you press that big Continue button. I know it takes a few seconds of your precious time, but it might help to think of the thousands of seconds of readers' time you're saving

Not to mention helping keep threads on topic...

Those are called mechanical keyboards right?

So back on Topic, what do you guys think about this?!

About that?
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or that?
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I'm using one of those keyboards right now. They're great. I got it so that I could actually feel when I pressed a key instead of just hoping that I had. Unfortunately, I don't believe that IBM makes them anymore. I think I may have gotten the last one ever.

By the way, the best way I've found to clean a keyboard is to put it in the dishwasher. Works very well, and only the cheapest keybarods are made of lousy enough plastic to melt in there.

I've also wanted to get a Happy Hacking Keyboard, but they're awfully expensive, even if they do actually put the control key in the right place.

Go to a computer fair. The clicky IBM keyboards are always available at the one in Middletown, NY. I personally can't stand them, but I have a friend that buys them quite regularly. Some even have Windows keys.

>> I've also wanted to get a Happy Hacking Keyboard,
>> but they're awfully expensive, even if they do actually put the control key in the right place.

The control key might be in the "right" place, but where the hell is the number pad ?
$140 bucks and no number pad.... Yikes !

In the dishwasher? Really? I usually just remove all the key caps (which is another great feature, I think) and clean it by hand, but that's annoying. I'll try the dishwasher... maybe...

Anyway you're right, afaik, IBM does not make them anymore, unfortunately. But maybe some other producer makes something of a comparable quality... Does anybody now?

As to the the Happy Hacking Keyboards, they're way tto "different" for me. No numeric keypad. That would drive ve crazy. The "Control" position may be "right", but that's not what I am used to...

You've got to be kidding me. There's been many times I spilled even a iota of liquid on a keyboard and the keyboard shorted out. I have killed many keyboards in my career this way.

If anyone wants a clicky IBM keyboard let me know. I regularly scout the flea markets for valuables and I run into these often for $5 to $10 bucks.

Calvin

Well, it's not like I'm suggesting you leave the keyboard plugged in to the computer while it's in the dishwasher. And the drying cycle of the dishwasher does a really good job of drying out the keyboard. Some dishwashers are better than others, too.

Who needs a number pad?

Well, that's where the control key was on pretty much every computer keyboard until IBM arbitrarily decided to change it when they introduced the AT. (How often do you use your CapsLock?)

> Some even have Windows keys.

You act like that is a good thing. First thing I do when I buy a new keyboard is pop those damn things off. There is nothing worse when playing deathmatch than hitting the stupid thing. Guaranteed at least two deaths.

Umm, those keyboards look like a nightmare. Ever use an old Mac keyboard? Or an old Amiga 1000 keyboard? They just look a little less useful than those.

I like having multiple control keys (at least on a system that makes extended use of them). Plus, I actually use the windows keys (helps if you have some good key-mapping software that can create macros and other functions using the Win keys).

The small size is nice. But maybe too small. I can't stand the old IBM keyboards. Ugh. My favourite keyboard over the past few years is my current one. Microsoft Internet Pro (all-USB OEM version with grey shortcut buttons, not blue). The worst keyboards from a more prominent manufacturer are Apple's first USB model and their current USB model.

Bruno

And just to keep on topic. Ya, I vote for these cool jemplode options too. I also vote for way faster screen draw and some interrupts and multithreading improvements to jemplode. Java is great for cross-compatibility - it sucks for performance.

The Windows key is easy to trap from a program standpoint (blame the developer for not handling their inputs gracefully). It's also easy to disable using MS' own control panel.

Bruno

You obviously use Windows (or maybe a Mac?) all day long. I don't. For me, the right third of the keyboard goes unused and just takes up desk space. If you want all that stuff, I'm not saying you can't have it, just that I'd like to have one. They're also of very high quality (I used them at LISA a few years back where they had them installed in an open lab).

Those original Apple USB keyboards were awful. No action and the horrible arrow keys. The mice were worse, though. (Did you ever see those clip-on things that folks were selling to make those mice actually fit your hand?) The new ones are fine. I'm not sure what kind of problem you have with those. I could be persuaded that the new mice are bad, too, but I've not used them much.

I use the numeric keypad infrequently. When doing any type of calculations, definitely. That I could stand to lose. But I don't like the combination of F keys with the numbers and I very much like having two CTRL keys. The CAPS lock I don't care much about. I used various Amigas which only had one CTRL key for a long time. I do like the compact size, but there would be too much missing from my current keyboard.

I use a PC with a keytronic-type keyboard for my desk system at work. I use it for email other inter-office stuff. Actual "work" is on various Macs. So I get more than my fair share of evaluating the hardware. The new keyboards aren't built very well. Sharp edges, bad part alignment, and poor plastics quality (and Apple still doesn't make use of all the keys in their operating system and its bundled software). The new mouse, even though it's a better fit into your hand, is not up to the standards of 3rd party products. It's just a stylized pill shape that doesn't take from any of the ergonomic research done in the industry. Its clicking action isn't as intuitive as a distinct button and the sensetivity, though variable, just doesn't feel right. It's only got, like every other Apple-made mouse, one button. Its optics are not as fast as the new MS mice. My mouse preferences are: 1 MS, 2 Logitec. Optical only. I wouldn't use a mechanical (ball) mouse again.

Bruno

I almost never use the numeric keypad. Certainly not enough to justify taking up another third of my desk space. And I hate the way that my keyboard is either not centered under my monitor so that the alphabet will be, taking up mouse room, or that I'm sitting over to the left side of the monitor or have my body at odd angles to type.

On Unix machines, the function keys are useless, or nearly so. Probably moreso than on Macs. And the control key is used extensively. It's much easier to chord with a key just to the left of the `A' key than one all the way at the lower left, unless you've got Roger Staubach hands (obscure reference for this week).

I THINK THAT BANISHING THE CAPS-LOCK KEY FROM KEYBOARDS WOULD BE DOING THE WORLD A BIG FAVO[U]R. I'M SEARCHING HARD TO FIND A VALID USE FOR IT. SO FAR THIS POST IS ABOUT THE ONLY JUSTIFICATION FOR IT'S EXISTENCE THAT I HAVE FOUND.

That can all be fixed by making a keyboard with a second numeric keypad on the left.

I thought of another key I can lose... Even though I like the Windows keys, I don't have any use for the Context menu key. I suppose I could learn to use it, but it's just not something I've done in the past few years.

I hate the fact that my keyboard takes up a lot of space too - as well as the fact of having to shift it to the right. But I needs me cursor keys and INSERT, DELETE, HOME, END, PAGE-UP and PAGE-DOWN. I just did that with CAPS-LOCK btw. Again another key I never use so it didn't save me much time.

Ok, let's all buy these small keyboards and deplete their stock. I'd also be missing all my cool special buttons (quick calculator launch, music player control, volume, mail ....

Bruno

I think the reason people are asking for better spelling and grammer here is that English is a second or third language for many participants, and when things are really messed up they have a lot of trouble deciphering stuff.

Cheers