Re: Northgate Keyboards

[ArtHXy@xxxxxxxx]

My fairly recent experience with Northgate keyboards wasn't so happy. I think
the company's on hard times, though they do continue to sell keyboards
through a handful of dealers.

Early last year I ordered a software-programmable keyboard from them, in case
my old beloved Northgate with the F keys on the left, ever died. Die it did,
with a stuck arrow key (if a Northgate key dies, it can't be fixed; you can't
replace individual keyswitches).

The problems with my new keyboard were, the enter key's sluggish; and far
more importantly, the supplied keyboard software won't work on my 486 clone.
Northgate's tech support confirmed that their software won't work on
Intel-built (?) motherboards, a conspicuous lack. So I was left high and dry,
since I'd bought the keyboard half a year before and innocently just
*assumed* everything would work OK. But never mind that...

Also: The latest Northgates with the F keys on the left have the capslock key
next to the A key, unfortunately.

Ok, to solutions: later I got a programmable Gateway Anykey keyboard,
courtesy of a friend who had a spare. Except for not having Northgate's
sublime feel, it's great. The Gateways are software-independent, and you can
program every key on the board, to work in all situations. (Running Xywrite
under Windows, I want the ctrl key to be the same in both programs.)

If you can't get a Gateway (and I have no idea how readily they sell them), I
believe there's a Maxi-Switch keyboard for sale with the same capabilities.
My advice about Northgate is to be wary that their programmable keyboard
might not work with your machine.