Why are laptops/netbooks using French layouts now?

gunsmoke on 11/9/2009 at 00:15

I have this one on my desk right now. Says 1984 on it, I have had it since it was new.

Inline Image:

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8393/800pxmodelm.jpg

Enchantermon on 11/9/2009 at 01:16

I still have one of those as well.
The first keyboard I recall using was one similar to the (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/AT_keyboard.jpg/800px-AT_keyboard.jpg) IBM PC AT, though with full-sized Ctrl and Alt keys.

uncadonego on 11/9/2009 at 05:43

I've never used a laptop where I enjoyed using the keyboard at all. And that stupid substitute for a mouse makes me want to smash the thing. My keyboard is eighteen inches wide and I like the key spacing just fine. The only thing I wish it did which it doesn't is for the characters to glow in the dark.

DC on 11/9/2009 at 09:12

Quote Posted by heywood

And I hear ya about the noise - I would never use one at work.

I use two at work (and one at home). I can see about six others within a radius of 10 metres from my desk too. They're very popular around here, for good reason. They are loud, but it's not really distracting. I don't like using any other keyboard now. I even keep a few spares because they're not as easy to acquire as they once were.

Volitions Advocate on 11/9/2009 at 15:48

I once switched to Dvorak and even pried all my keys off to make it easier to learn. I wish I still remembered how to type like that. After only 2 weeks of light practice I was already typing at 40 wpm.

My friends hated coming to use my computer.

Inline Image:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/KB_United_States_Dvorak.svg/800px-KB_United_States_Dvorak.svg.png"

Renzatic on 11/9/2009 at 16:37

Switching to a new keyboard layout would take more dedication than I could muster. I've got QWERTY ergonomic keyboards so ingrained into my brain, switching to Dvorak, or really anything even slightly different, would frustrate me to no end.

It'd be like waking up and figuring out I've got feet for hands or something.

heywood on 13/9/2009 at 16:39

Glad to see a few others that appreciate old school keyboards. I'm ordering a (http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/customizer.html) Unicomp Customizer with the Linux layout. According to this (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/forum/showthread.php?t=719) forum (and a few other sites I found by Googling), the Das Keyboard is just a rebranded Keytronic, which if you look that up has rubber dome switches.

And now, my turn to rant... What the hell is up with the chiclet keyboard fad?

I'm currently laptop-less and will be buying one in the near future. Two of the laptops I'm most interested in (MacBook Pro 13" and Sony Z) have chiclet keyboards. Sony re-introduced this abomination to the world a few years back on the X505. But that laptop was so thin it was the only practical solution. On something like a MacBook or Sony Z, there should be plenty of room for a real keyboard.

Volitions Advocate on 14/9/2009 at 06:36

Agreed on the chicklet thing.

I guess I was half right and half wrong on the name of this layout.

Apparently all the new keyboards in Canada are "Canada-Multilingual" so technically it is .. kinda french.

I had to buy one of the buggers anyway. I'll get used to it.. the keyboard is tiny anyway.

ilweran on 15/9/2009 at 12:04

Quote Posted by Nameless Voice

let alone putting a Sleep button where a normal key usually is, or any of the other bizarre design decisions that seem to be made on cheap modern keyboards that I've seen lately.

I need to buy a new keyboard. Who in their right mind would put a key that shuts down the PC right next to the f12 key with no gap?

I also accidently got sent a french laptop once, it was really nice except for the azerty keyboard and french version of windows. I still have it, and just for fun have combined it with a US USB keyboard.

Namdrol on 15/9/2009 at 12:19

Quote Posted by uncadonego

The only thing I wish it did which it doesn't is for the characters to glow in the dark.

(http://www.myglowkeys.com/) http://www.myglowkeys.com/

Retrofit!!