Re: Keyboards

[Pamela Upton upton1@xxxxxxxx]

On Thu, 29 Jan 1998, Phil Smith wrote:

> The keyboard thread seems to have concluded that there are no more
> left-hand-function-key keyboards on the market. Has Gateway 2000 quit
> making/distributing their Anykey keyboard?

Phil,

As I think I mentioned on this list a couple of months ago, Gateway is
still distributing the Anykey, at least for now--but there are rumblings
that they may cease production on the model that includes the two sets of
function keys. If so, the lefthand F keys will be history. The real
glitch, though, is that they'll only sell a separate keyboard to a
registered Gateway customer (i.e., someone who owns or is buying a Gateway
computer); I got mine through a work colleague's brother-in-law.

I use the Anykey on my home computer, and it's the best thing next to a
real Northgate Omnikey that I've yet found. The positions of Ctrl, Alt,
Caps Lock, and a few other keys differ from the Omnikey, but they were
easily reprogrammed (I just can't look at the keys when I'm typing now, or
I get confused). The touch is completely different from the
Northgate--it's a very "soft" keyboard, and I miss the tactile clicks.

I'd be interested in the Avant Stellar, which looks very good on their Web
site, but the price does seem a bit steep right now. (For comparison, the
Anykey sells for $49.95 if you can get hold of one.) If the old Northgate
keyboard I've been nursing along at work dies suddenly, though, I'll
probably change my tune.

*********************
Pam Upton
Univ. of N.C. Press
upton1@xxxxxxxx
*********************