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Cherry Announces Linux keyboard

Errtu76 writes "ZDnet says Cherry has announced a specially designed Linux keyboard that will be available in the UK, Ireland and Germany later this year. The Cherry CyMotion Master Linux keyboard has the Linux penguin logo, Tux, instead of the Windows start key and features 29 hot keys. The hot keys are configured for the Linux operating system and desktop applications, simplifying actions such as cutting, copying and pasting text, and moving between Web pages. PCworld has a little more info on the keyboard."

40 of 490 comments (clear)

  1. Hotkey suggestion by TimeTrav · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is there a hotkey for First Post?

    --
    [sig]you really dont want the answers, trust me[/sig]
  2. Re:Forget the Windows/Tux key! Cater to everyone! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    If the wife is "fucking a nerdier guy than you," I'd hope that you'd do more than change the appearance of the windows key...

  3. Hot Keys by Morphix84 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is it just me, or are Hot Keys for thinks like Copying and Pasting really over rated, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-X, etc. (And the Linux Equivilants, i'm a Windows user) are subconcious to me at this point, rather than rooting around for some key at the top of the keyboard.

    1. Re:Hot Keys by TykeClone · · Score: 4, Funny

      They need the 29 other keys for emacs.

      --
      A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
    2. Re:Hot Keys by bsd4me · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If you are doing mouse heavy editing (like with graphics), then hotkeys can be handy. However, if you have a five button mouse that you can program per-application, then you can use the extra buttons for that purpose, too.

      --

      (S(SKK)(SKK))(S(SKK)(SKK))

    3. Re:Hot Keys by Euphonious+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful
      What we need in a Linux keyboard is fewer keys. Eliminate all the extra junk, and then use better keyswitches for the keys remaining. The "happy hacker" keyboard's layout is OK, but its action totally stinks.

      Back in the 80s, Apple tried several times to switch to membrane-switch keyboards, and the market always made clear that they were intolerable. It's sad to see hackers accepting them today.

    4. Re:Hot Keys by pclminion · · Score: 5, Funny
      They need the 29 other keys for emacs.

      Sacrilege! We all know that all true emacs functions require at least three modifier keys! We'll have none of this stupid single keypress to perform a simple function crap!

      Ctrl-Alt-Meta-RightShift-Tab-W is what I use for "Submit Slashdot Post."

    5. Re:Hot Keys by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 3, Funny

      What's this "SCO" key ? I pressed it, and everyone I know got slapped with a frivolous lawsuit.

      --

      In Soviet America the banks rob you!
    6. Re:Hot Keys by yppiz · · Score: 4, Informative
      I have a Happy Hacker Lite 2 keyboard and I love it. It's nothing special mechanically, it's just that they've applied two criteria to the keyboard layout:
      1. Does this function really need its own key, or can we make it a FN+key combo (Caps Lock, numeric keypad)
      2. Is this layout right for programmers (CTRL where Caps Lock normally is, Backspace and Delete locations switchable)
      The Happy Hacking keyboard comes in USB and PS/2 variants, Black or White, Pro or Lite, English layout or Japanese (I don't think they sell every permutation, but I think I've seen six of them). The versions I've seen have dip switch settings for different default layouts (Mac vs PC, Backspace vs DEL).

      Here's the layout of the Happy Hacking Professional. The other model is the Happy Hacking Lite 2.

      In the US, Users Side in San Jose, Los Angeles, and New York carries these, so you can try them before buying:
      Users Side store listing

      --Pat / zippy@cs.brandeis.edu

  4. Picture by skoch · · Score: 5, Informative

    Was this the only article without a picture?

    http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS8233268776.ht ml

    1. Re:Picture by NotAnotherReboot · · Score: 4, Funny

      I was about to copy that URL into my browser, but then I realized I didn't have a copy nor a paste hotkey.

  5. Cut, Copy, and Paste keys by rumblin'rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeeesssss. It's the only damn thing I really want from a keyboard. Oh, and an Undo key. Oh yeah, and a foot pedal controlling the capitalization. And get rid of the Alt key. And the Escape, while your at it.

  6. Buy a keyboard... by billysara · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... get a free OS?

    "In addition, the keyboard comes with a CD including a special edition of SuSE Linux 9.1 from Novell"...

    How long till we get special versions of RedHat or SuSE free with our breakfast cerial..... :-)

    1. Re:Buy a keyboard... by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Funny

      well, Captain Crunch cereal once came with a useful phreaking tool...

    2. Re:Buy a keyboard... by jannic · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If this is a usb keyboard, they could include a storage device with a bootable linux preinstalled.

      Then, one of the function keys could be "reboot this machine and install linux immediately".

    3. Re:Buy a keyboard... by billysara · · Score: 3, Funny

      I feel terribly drawn to making that a reality.... :-)

    4. Re:Buy a keyboard... by Brandybuck · · Score: 4, Informative

      I wonder how many people out there don't realize that you're absolutely serious...

      --
      Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
  7. here is a hint to those keyboard makers : by kuiken · · Score: 3, Insightful

    why dont you make a keyboard, with like all the normal keys and none of that stupiod windows key crap, let alone 50 other buttons to open my mail client, browser and 48 other apps i dont even use.

    I want an old school 101 or 102 keys keyboard

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    42
    1. Re:here is a hint to those keyboard makers : by ameoba · · Score: 3, Funny

      How do you think I feel? I have fire bound to CTRL, jump on ALT and look down on DEL.

      Rocket-jumping hurts.

      --
      my sig's at the bottom of the page.
  8. Auto-sense the OS? by grunt107 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why not ship the keyboard with software that detects the OS, and configures 'hot' keys based on said OS?

    AFA the 'Windows' key, charge a few pennies more and ship w/iconic keys for all 'major' OS-es.

    Or ship with spiffy EOTD (emoticon of the day) that the fashionistas can buy and traded (Pokeyboardmon).

    1. Re:Auto-sense the OS? by kryptkpr · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This would be almost entirely useless for anyone who types using any method other then hunt-and-peck.

      I do _not_ want a keyboard that reconfigures itself.. I "know" where all the keys on my keyboard are, if they were to move around or change constantly I'd go crazy.

      Not to mention I need the tactile feedback for touch typing.. or my wpm drops to less then half because I no longer "know" when I've made a mistake.

      --
      DJ kRYPT's Free MP3s!
  9. Let's pray for a G80 by hhnerkopfabbeisser · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Cherry's G80 series of keyboards is considered by many (including me) to provide the best tactile expierience since the old IBM-keyboards with click, but without the weight and noise.

    All other cherries I ever tried to type (G81 and G83) gave me the expierience that they wanted to break my fingers...

  10. Any key? by whovian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will there be an Any key?

    --
    To-do List: Receive telemarketing call during a tornado warning. Check.
  11. Too bad by iamdrscience · · Score: 3, Informative

    Amazingly enough, the windows key works just fine in linux. It's not essential at all that it have a picture of tux on it.

  12. Oh please! by iamdrscience · · Score: 3, Funny

    I hope this keyboard has an internet button like Compaq's keyboards do! Finally the internet could be coming to linux!

  13. Re:30 pounds (about 50 bucks American) by joggle · · Score: 3, Informative

    There's a registry entry you can alter to disable the key. If you google 'disable windows key' you'll probably find it.

  14. Re:30 pounds (about 50 bucks American) by DevolvingSpud · · Score: 5, Funny

    > Does the Windows key really piss you off *that much*?

    You're not from around here, are you?

    --
    Keep your friends close.
    Keep your enemies in a little jar on your desk.
  15. More special keys? by Avian+visitor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The hot keys are configured for the Linux operating system and desktop applications, simplifying actions such as cutting, copying and pasting text, and moving between Web pages.

    Seriously, who uses all the special hot keys on recent keyboards? Do they really "simplify actions"? They are usually placed on top of all keys, which means you have to move your hands all the way to the top to, for example, copy or paste text. On the other hand, ctrl and c keys are conveniently placed around the letter keys.

    Even my standard 104-key keyboard has keys that I use very rarely. For example: Printscreen/SysRQ is useless (unless you are a kernel hacker and you are using it as kernel magic key). I haven't used Pause/Breakkey since the days of DOS. Same goes for entire numeric keyboard, but I believe it can be useful for people that need to enter a lot of numbers. And I won't even mention Windows/Tux/whatever and menu keys (which I removed with a screwdriver on some of my keyboards anyway).

    If you ask me, the perfect Linux keyboard has a bigger, more convenient space bar and enter keys (They are certainly the most used and should be as large as possible. They are ridiculously small on some modern keyboards.). Forget the numeric keyboard and the useless keys I mentioned above. Oh and of course, remove the capslock key and place the control key in the proper place.

  16. Happy hacking keyboard ? by Walrusss · · Score: 5, Informative
    Personaly, I'm using the happy hacking keyboard, which is maybe not "specially designed for" linux, but works very well. And there is an "diamond" key that makes the menu pop-up, which is fine for the windows-like-button fans.

    Stick to Tux, buy a tuxsticker !

  17. You only need the foot pedals... by TheHonestTruth · · Score: 5, Funny
    You only need the foot pedals if you use emacs. Shift-Meta-Control-ChickenBone, Shift-Meta-Control-CircleOfBlood-Chanting-S to save a file. (The foot pedals key in the Shift-Meta) Simple.

    -truth

    --

    I had a steady B+ in my AI class until I failed the Turing test...

  18. Don't mind me if I'm wrong by The-Bus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This seems like the classic misunderstanding of your market. My cut-and-dry view.

    1. Market: People who abhor the Dell keyboards that have 10 buttons for shopping and other keyboards filled with other useless crap.

    2. Product: Keyboard filled with useless crap.

    A better idea would be one with some fully customizable hot keys but with an emphasis on monitoring -- maybe a keyboard with some LCDs monitoring temperature, disk usage, etc. so precious screen space isn't used. Now that I would consider buying.

    --

    Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

    1. Re:Don't mind me if I'm wrong by pclminion · · Score: 4, Funny
      A better idea would be one with some fully customizable hot keys

      We already have these. They're called "function keys." Why people refuse to use them is totally beyond me.

    2. Re:Don't mind me if I'm wrong by dizzyduck · · Score: 5, Insightful

      We already have these. They're called "function keys." Why people refuse to use them is totally beyond me.

      Suppose I assign F12 to Play/Pause. I'm working in OO.org and I want to pause my music to take a call. Whoops! F12 is already used in OO.org to toggle numbering. The function keys are context sensitive, and as such are totally unsuitable for use as global hotkeys.

      --
      Allergy advice: Contains eggs.
  19. Linux users, this is the keyboard you want... by kclittle · · Score: 5, Informative
    Linux 101 Keyboard

    The Ctrl key is in the placd God intended. Get the rubber-dome model for work to spare your coworkers the noice, get the buckling spring for home.

    --
    Generally, bash is superior to python in those environments where python is not installed.
  20. Re:30 pounds (about 50 bucks American) by teeker · · Score: 5, Informative

    At that price, and in such small production numbers, I have a feeling that the workmanship is shoddy

    I can't speak to the usefulness of this thing, but I do work for a company that sells Cherry gear (point of sale things like...keyboards) and I have never seen a Cherry product I'd describe as shoddy. They may not make the best keyboards ever (that would be AT&T in the late 80s), but based on their other products I doubt the hardware is crap.

    Not trying to pimp Cherry gear or anything...just sayin.

    --
    teeker
  21. Re:So... by pclminion · · Score: 4, Insightful
    That would definitely make prolonged Emacs sessions a bit more comfortable...

    I don't understand why people complain about this. Using CTRL in the lower left corner is perfectly comfortable to me, and it's painful for me to use a Sun keyboard where CTRL is in the caps lock position.

    What gives, do I have a weird bone structure in my hand or something?

  22. Re:That sucks by GregAllen · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So I've got mod points, and was looking for the person that says "Why the f**k would you want a special Linux keyboard?" I was going to mod up your post, but then felt I had to respond.

    putting proprietary crap in a universal Human-Computer interface .... It was a horrible idea when Macintosh did it....

    I completely disagree here -- it was a GREAT idea when the Mac did it. The command key is one of the things that made the Mac so usable. The Mac was a completely new paradigm in the Human-Computer interface, and a new key gave outstanding access to it. The other keys already had other uses. Control-C is interrupt. Control-S is stop. Control-Q is resume. Other windowing systems also added keys (like the X meta key).

    Control-C did NOT universally mean copy when the Mac was made. In early versions of Win, cut and paste were something like ctrl-shift-delete and ctrl-shift-insert. Eventually Win evolved to use the exact same key combinations as the Mac (ZXCV), but substituting the Control key in place of the Command key.

    The problem was that MS added the Windows key long after people were using the Control key for that sort of thing. By then nobody cared about the Win key, and it was too late for it to be useful.

    You could argue that NOW Apple should go back and take off the Command key since lots of people are using the Control key, but I'd disagree. I like the fact that in my terminal windows Command-C is copy, and Control-C is interrupt.

    --
    Please help find my missing daughter: FindSabrina.org
  23. No more application keys, rather navigation keys by thomasj · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I would rather like some new navigation keys:
    • Let TAB be tabular space and make a new "Next field" key.
    • Let ENTER be line break and make a new "Expand selection widget"
    • Make an "OK" key to accelerate form/dialog-box submission and a "Cancel" one too
    • Make some "Zoom in"/"Zoom out"/"Scroll"/"Pan"/"Bank"/"Tilt"/etc and free the cursor-keys/PgUp/PgDn
    • ...
    • Write a CUA-addendum with specifics and examples
    I don't need a key to open my email client. It opens when I log on.
    --
    :-) = I am happy
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    C:\> = I am happy with my OS
  24. Re:Forget the Windows/Tux key! Cater to everyone! by Zapdos · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why LCD? Just give the buyer a bag of 10 keys with instructions on how to pop in the chosen keys.
    The 5 pairs of keys would be:
    Linux
    BSD
    Windows
    Apple
    Cherries

  25. About as useful... by soccerisgod · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...as a condom machine in the vatican.

    Seriously, you can take any keyboard that has extra keys and map them to whatever you want, whatever kind of symbol is on the keys. I happily use the 'windows key' as an extra meta key for emacs...

    --
    If a train station is a place where a train stops, what's a workstation?