Re: Portable keyboard remapping

"Jason M. Felice" <jasonf@shell.nacs.net> writes:

> 1) the default mapping will probably have to make decisions based on what keys
>    the terminal actually has.  For example, mapping Reset to Left Ctrl will
>    have no effect for the curses terminal, since that terminal type can't 
>    detect either Left vs. Right Ctrl or Ctrl without another key being 
>pressed.
>    Maybe we can handle this by having the terminal driver install the default
>    map (?)

I think some kind of hierarchical/combining approach would work.  Most
keyboards would support almost everything, which would be in the
default keymap, then there's a small change for keyboards that can't
detect Control, for keyboards that don't support a separate Field+
key, and then the user's customisations on top of that.

The same thing could apply to the display - some displays don't
support underlining, they're either colour or black-and white, some
only have 24 rows, some will fit 132x27, some can be resized to that,
some support a mouse, etc.

> 3) The biggie:  We either have to maintain or steal a list of every key on
>    keyboard ever likely to be used.  I'm thinking more along the lines of
>    steal, as X Windows has a rather compleete map.  We can copy that header
>    file into the tn5250 distributiion, license permitting.

The only sticky bit might be:

} Except as contained in this notice, the name of The Open Group shall
} not be used in advertising or otherwise to promote the sale, use or
} other dealings in this Software without prior written authorization
} from The Open Group.

which could contravene section 6 of the GPL by imposing additional
restrictions on the distributor.  This might fall under section 0 of
the GPL, though:

} Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
} covered by this License; they are outside its scope.

In practice, I haven't seen anyone that worried about combining GPL
and X11 licensed software.

-- 
         Carey Evans  http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/c.evans/

         This message was composed from the finest electrons
         used by many of the world's greatest writers.
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