Release First prodcution samples of Pandora keymat

[God Ginrai]

Oh my god, we care about whether the brightness keys should be swapped around now? This is why we don't have keypad threads any more.

The layout is fine, there will be a compose key, and everything's configurable. These are mass production samples. That is to say, they are samples of what we are getting. Case closed. Can we please not waste any more of the devs' time on this?

As I said before. I'm fine with the current layout, my only problem is with the choice to label the Start and Select keys with Ctrl and Alt as well. I don't have a problem with them being mapped as such, but I believe that in labelling, there should be a separation between game buttons and keyboard buttons.

EDIT: The epoxy looks nice.

-God Ginrai

 

[Alec]

By the way... Since there's no PrintScreen/SysRq key, how will we be able to send Magic Sysrq commands to the kernel if something goes really bad? I don't think these can be remapped...

 

[pelrun]

From the kernel docs:

There are some keyboards that send different scancodes for SysRq than the
pre-defined 0x54. So if SysRq doesn't work out of the box for a certain
keyboard, run 'showkey -s' to find out the proper scancode sequence. Then
use 'setkeycodes <sequence> 84' to define this sequence to the usual SysRq
code (84 is decimal for 0x54). It's probably best to put this command in a
boot script. Oh, and by the way, you exit 'showkey' by not typing anything
for ten seconds.

 

[VRAndy]

I can certainly live with this layout.

My only problem is the choice to actually have the Text "Ctrl" and "Alt" on the Start and Select buttons, seeing as how they are game buttons, and should be treated as such in labeling.

Who decided that these are exclusively "game buttons" while the others are not?

It seems crazy to me that a button wouldn't be labeled with the keycode that it actually sends.

This isn't just academic. CTRL and ALT are used a lot in just about any windowing system you care to name. If they're not labeled every time I try to copy/paste I'll have a 50% chance of typing ALT-C ALT-V and god knows what that'll do. With my luck it'll be the shortcut to delete all my work and set fire to my Pandora.

 

[lulzfish]

Yes, if they're going to be used for ctrl and alt, they need to be labelled. I can live with the start and select labels being on there.
there's not a whole lot of other places to put Ctrl and Alt, really.

Incidentally, there is an instruction called "Halt and Catch Fire" that I believe was 'implemented' in the z80 or some ancient processor. Will the Pandora have this?

 

[Alec]

From the kernel docs:

There are some keyboards that send different scancodes for SysRq than the
pre-defined 0x54. So if SysRq doesn't work out of the box for a certain
keyboard, run 'showkey -s' to find out the proper scancode sequence. Then
use 'setkeycodes <sequence> 84' to define this sequence to the usual SysRq
code (84 is decimal for 0x54). It's probably best to put this command in a
boot script. Oh, and by the way, you exit 'showkey' by not typing anything
for ten seconds.

OK, that's good. Thanks!

 

[God Ginrai]

I can certainly live with this layout.

My only problem is the choice to actually have the Text "Ctrl" and "Alt" on the Start and Select buttons, seeing as how they are game buttons, and should be treated as such in labeling.

Who decided that these are exclusively "game buttons" while the others are not?

It seems crazy to me that a button wouldn't be labeled with the keycode that it actually sends.

This isn't just academic. CTRL and ALT are used a lot in just about any windowing system you care to name. If they're not labeled every time I try to copy/paste I'll have a 50% chance of typing ALT-C ALT-V and god knows what that'll do. With my luck it'll be the shortcut to delete all my work and set fire to my Pandora.

If you can remember what button is "Fire" in a video game, and what keyboard shortcut means "copy", you can sure as hell remember which button is "ctrl" and which button is "alt".

there's not a whole lot of other places to put Ctrl and Alt, really.

Except maybe the shoulder buttons?

-God Ginrai

 

[VRAndy]

If you can remember what button is "Fire" in a video game, and what keyboard shortcut means "copy", you can sure as hell remember which button is "ctrl" and which button is "alt".

And you could remember that the CTRL key works as "Start" in some small number of emulators, and that the ALT key works as "Select" in some small number of emulators. If you're playing an emulator. Which a lot of people will only do occasionally, if at all.
But I'm not arguing that those labels should be removed. Why are you arguing that the others should?


Besides you're giving me too much credit. I can't remember which button on the remote control switches my projector's inputs without looking. If I want to pause a PS3 game there's a fifty/fifty chance I'll hit [SELECT] instead of [START> because I can't see 'em with the lights out.
A bizarro non-standard CTRL key that's not labeled CTRL? Oh Yea, I'll have that memorized instantly. No need to label it. (Sarcasm)

You're arguing that a key on the keyboard of a computer should be relabeled by the manufacturer to conform with what you, personally, will be doing with the computer. You are also arguing that the key doesn't need to be labeled with its standard function because everyone who is not you should just 'remember' what the key does.
Please take a moment to realize how ridiculous this is.

Many people will be using their Pandora with a Linux command prompt. I imagine that you would resist if we suggested that the keys be relabeled to be friendlier to that usage.

-Andy

 

[fischju]

A lock on the other thread does not mean to continue the same bickering here.

 

[socket]

Yeah, let it go.... I really never saw the point in this "argument" and don't get why it won't die...

Anyway, what is up with craigx "tweeting" about keymats today. I was thinking it was something new, but guess he was referring to the ones already photoed?

 

[JayFoxRox]

From the sound of the tweet I would say that he means the first test-mass-produced and already corrected keymats.

 

[socket]

Yeah OK, I thought it was new news. I want pics!

 

[Tom`]

I understood it to mean that he had received the keymats we've already seen from Fatih, so he can test them in his prototype...

 

[God Ginrai]

If you can remember what button is "Fire" in a video game, and what keyboard shortcut means "copy", you can sure as hell remember which button is "ctrl" and which button is "alt".

And you could remember that the CTRL key works as "Start" in some small number of emulators, and that the ALT key works as "Select" in some small number of emulators. If you're playing an emulator. Which a lot of people will only do occasionally, if at all.
But I'm not arguing that those labels should be removed. Why are you arguing that the others should?


Besides you're giving me too much credit. I can't remember which button on the remote control switches my projector's inputs without looking. If I want to pause a PS3 game there's a fifty/fifty chance I'll hit [SELECT] instead of [START> because I can't see 'em with the lights out.
A bizarro non-standard CTRL key that's not labeled CTRL? Oh Yea, I'll have that memorized instantly. No need to label it. (Sarcasm)

You're arguing that a key on the keyboard of a computer should be relabeled by the manufacturer to conform with what you, personally, will be doing with the computer. You are also arguing that the key doesn't need to be labeled with its standard function because everyone who is not you should just 'remember' what the key does.
Please take a moment to realize how ridiculous this is.

Many people will be using their Pandora with a Linux command prompt. I imagine that you would resist if we suggested that the keys be relabeled to be friendlier to that usage.

-Andy

Continuing via pm.

-God Ginrai