Re: A Microsoft Christmas Carol

[Jordan Pollack <pollack@cs.brandeis.edu>]

  The point is not control versus command on the apple, but over private
  ownership over communication standards like the keyboard codes and the
  keyboard interface.
  
  In the early to mid 80's all terminals, even with cursor keys and
  numeric and function keys, achieved their functions through ASCII, a
  128 character code with 32 "control" codes. Backspace was ^h, return
  was ^m, escape is ^[, and so on.  the Alt or Meta button was an
  extension to ascii, which added the 8th bit.
  
  IBM and microsoft established a new keyboard standard with the
  PC, which made everyone's investment in ascii keyboards obsolete.
  Rather than sending ascii codes, keys send make/break codes
  so arbitrary keyboard actions like Control Escape are possible. 
  Technically, you cannot send keys like shift-backspace in Ascii;
  It is not a real character.
  
  Microsoft's addition of a key with "windows logo" on it to be a
  "windows 95" certified keyboard, is an attempt at making all existing
  pc keyboards obsolete.  Does anyone even know what it does besides
  issue a control/escape (which can't be done in ascii), and make
  manufacturers put a microsoft copyright notice on their hardware?
  
  Professor Jordan B. Pollack   DEMO Laboratory, Volen Center for Complex Systems
  Computer Science Dept, MS018  Phone (617) 736-2713/Lab x3366/Fax x2741
  Brandeis University           website: http://www.demo.cs.brandeis.edu
  Waltham, MA 02254             email: pollack@cs.brandeis.edu