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."

Picture

[skoch]

Was this the only article without a picture?

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

Re:The Year 2000 Returns?

[aeakett]

You're talking about this one [linux-mag.com] perhaps?

Re:Picture...of something else

[Onimaru]

Read the article carefully. That's a picture of the solar powered widget, not the upcoming widget. But here's hoping they look similar...that thing's cool.

Too bad

[iamdrscience]

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.

Re:30 pounds (about 50 bucks American)

[joggle]

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

Happy hacking keyboard ?

[Walrusss]

Personaly, I'm using the happy hacking keyboard [yahoo.com], 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 ! [ptaff.ca]

Re:here is a hint to those keyboard makers :

[black mariah]

I don't even want a fucking numper pad on mine. I'm about to get one of those Cooler Master Keyboard Q's. Laptop style keyboard for your desk. Could do with a bit of separation for the F-keys, but fuck it. It works and looks good. Everything I could ask for.

Linux users, this is the keyboard you want...

[kclittle]

Linux 101 Keyboard [yahoo.com]

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.

Get an IBM Model M

[Myrrh]

Simply the best keyboard ever made. Unfortunately they're becoming hard to find these days.

Re:30 pounds (about 50 bucks American)

[teeker]

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.

A moment in the life of little john, slashdotter

[proj_2501]

a rotary pot (sliders haven't been used on real hardware for 20 years!)

what?! [mackie.com]

what?! [evolution.co.uk]

what?! [vestax.com]

Re:here is a hint to those keyboard makers :

[Kaa]

http://www.pckeyboard.com/customizer.html [pckeyboard.com]

It's a 101 key old-style clicky keyboard. Buckling spring, no less...

Re:here is a hint to those keyboard makers :

[MonkeyBoy]

Unicomp [pckeyboard.com] is listening.

Not affiliated in any way beyond being a happy owner of an IBM keyboard (82-key) & "IBM style" keyboard (101-key) I bought off them ages ago. Damned things last forever (I bought one as a replacement for an IBM keyboard made in the early 90s), and no carpal tunnel woes...

Re:Hot Keys

[yppiz]

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 [users-side.co.jp]. 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 [users-side.co.jp]

--Pat / [e-mail]

Re:30 pounds (about 50 bucks American)

[Anonymous Coward]

Your keyboard is waiting for you. [pckeyboard.com] Come pick it up.

Mostly meaningless

[alazar]

It's all cosmetic anyway. I suspect (looks like) all that they've done is change a couple of the screen printed images on the keys and/or body.

If any of you complaining about key placement really want those suggested keys, then just read the man page for xmodmap. And that's just one way to do it. Go ahead knock yourself out, make the keys do whatever you want.

Now, give me a Data General Dasher keyboard. The cursor keys even made sense. Add to that the L1-L10 keys of the Sun and you can have the extra functions, including cut and paste in a convenient spot.

By the way Ctl-C and Ctl-V have meanings that precede cut and past and are still used in real OSs. Remember ctl-c is interrupt for running processes. Yes, this is linux and you can use stty to remap, but standardization has its place.

Besides control characters are just that characters, with a place in the ASCII (and other) code. Aren't Cut and Paste application functions?

Re:Don't mind me if I'm wrong

[nicolas.e]

The thing that's really needed is a standard X program that shows the scancode for each key you press in the window.

Do you mean xev ?

Re:Buy a keyboard...

[Brandybuck]

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