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Re: configuring the backspace key, etc. (un-indenting doesn't work with vim)


Jay wrote:
While Andrew's tone is a bit strong/rude, I do agree.
Thanks. BTW I don't see the point is striving to be weak! To me strong is good. Rude? Well that's your interpretation and I've long since given up trying to control others.
The keyboard should just work. PC keyboards have been for a very long time now.

One of the "obvious problems" though is that there is never any instant switch over from "old days" to "modern times". It is a continuum. It is gradual. Looking backward from our "current distant future", many things look stupid, but they only ever get there gradually. The teletype surely died off gradually, not instantly. So how/when do you phase out support for it? How do you have new code interoperate with the old code that is "sensitive" to teletypes? Code lives a very long time of course.
What is it in a teletype that requires that a backspace character print out ^? and people would look at it and say "Gee that's exactly what I wanted to see?"???

I once complained that on some Unixes, when at the password prompt, typing a backspace would screw up the entry of the password. I was told by old Unix folk that "well listen sonny, back when Unix started there were these teletypes here and well the backspace key was way far away and the del key was much closer so if you really want to erase the previous character while entering your password use del not backspace". Still other Unix folk insisted that backspace is a legitimate character for passwords and somebody may actually want to have backspace as part of their password.

I responded with "Well who the hell is using teletypes anymore" and "If somebody really wants to use backspace as part of their password should they be expected to jump through hoops to enter it instead of inconveniencing everybody else?". This was back in the '80s. Slowly getty started learning that backspace is supposed to do a backspace... Change is indeed difficult for some - but not for others.
How do you know removing support for something won't break someone? Do you actively collect "telemetry" data as to the usage of everthing? How close to zero is close enough?
How about making the small minority of people with antiquated systems have it not work for them instead of having it not work for the masses?!?
--
Andrew DeFaria <http://defaria.com>
He's not dead, he's electroencephalographically challenged.



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