[geeks] Keyboards

[Mike Meredith]

On Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:33:59 +0000, RichTea wrote:
> What is it with the placement of [Ctrl] [Alt] and [Shift] on US style
> keyboards? the first time I used one (as aposed to a UK layout) it
> seemed quite a crzzy layout!

I think you'll have to explain; there's very little difference between
those keys on US vs. UK keyboards. The left shift is smaller to make
room for an extra key between it and 'Z' (called "INT-1" I think). 

If you mean placing Control where Caps Lock usually is, that's probably
due to the Teletype keyboard which had Control in that position given
that Control is far more important than (Caps) Lock on an uppercase
only terminal. Some of us still like it there.

> Is there some history behind the the differences?

Tons. And a great opportunity for arguments between those who like
their Enter key to be -, |, or L shaped.

-- 
Mike Meredith (http://zonky.org/)
  If you play the Windows CD backwards you hear a satanic message.
  But it gets worse... If you play it forwards it installs Windows.