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Date:      Sat,  4 Mar 1995 19:59:08 +0300
From:      "Andrey A. Chernov, Black Mage" <ache@astral.msk.su>
To:        davidg@Root.COM, "Rodney W. Grimes" <rgrimes@gndrsh.aac.dev.com>, S0ren Schmidt <sos@login.dknet.dk>
Cc:        bde@zeta.org.au, current@FreeBSD.org, "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@freefall.cdrom.com>
Subject:   Re: backspace now broken (proposal)
Message-ID:  <SHSn9MliY2@astral.msk.su>
In-Reply-To: <199503040747.XAA00336@corbin.Root.COM>; from David Greenman at Fri, 03 Mar 1995 23:47:27 -0800
References:  <199503040747.XAA00336@corbin.Root.COM>

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In message <199503040747.XAA00336@corbin.Root.COM> David Greenman
    writes:

>>Please folks, we have a delete key and a backspace key on the PC keyboard,
>>they should generate *by default* the correct ascii code for that key.  If
>>people like to use ^? for there erase character they should do that remapping
>>privately.
>>
>>This has changed back and forth at least 3 times, probably 4, STOP it is
>>a political and personal issue as to what character you like to use for
>>stty erase!  But don't make my keyboard lie by default, this is very
>>confusing.

>   I agree with Rod. People expect backspace to generate a backspace. I admit
>that this makes it a pain to work on DEC systems that don't like backspace,
>and that VT100 family terminals generate 'delete' for that key...but that's
>less important than consistency. Backspace should generate backspace and
>delete should generate delete.

I agree with Rod and DG. Moreover, I already change russian keymap
to generate ^H, but IMHO it needs to be default case.

I have following proposal:

Backspace -> ^H
Keypad Del, (NumLock off) -> 0x7F
Grey Delete (near Insert and such) -> ESC [ K

It is key space waste to have three 0x7F on one keyboard especially
if 0x7F not used at all.

Few words about Grey Delete: many years of PC tradition DOS/Windows/OS-2/etc.
this key implements 'delete under cursor' function as opposite 'delete
before cursor' Del meaning.
This function well supported by ncurses & dialog and can be very useful
into many applications for line editing purposes (russian keymap
already do in that way). I dislike degradation of this key to Del too.

All that I say is my point of view on _default_ behaviour.
Because too many opinions exists, all three keys need to
be at least programmable, so you can set what you like by simple
kbdcontrol.
-- 
Andrey A. Chernov        : And I rest so composedly,  /Now, in my bed,
ache@astral.msk.su       : That any beholder  /Might fancy me dead -
FidoNet: 2:5020/230.3    : Might start at beholding me,  /Thinking me dead.
RELCOM Team,FreeBSD Team :         E.A.Poe         From "For Annie" 1849



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