new Sun type-4 keyboards

[Winston Edmond]

Stephen Gildea writes:
> The keyboard that Sun started shipping with the 386i and now ships with
> all machines, the type-4 keyboard, is a step backwards for an engineering
> workstation.

Rick Ace writes:
>Agreed.  The keyboard is *the* most personal part of the computer.  Try as
>I did, I could never get accustomed to the VT220 keyboard.  The new Sun
>keyboards are reminiscent of DEC's unfortunate VT220 decision.
>
>Sun, if you're listening, please offer customers the choice between the
>old and new style keyboards.

wnl adds:
>[[ YEAH!  It's not like that's hard to do or anything.  Seriously!  --wnl ]]

Let me make it even clearer, in case Sun is willing to listen.  I have
been happy with the older keyboard layout (e.g., the one on my Sun 3/50).
However, I, too, do not like the keyboard on the Sun 386i or the
DECstation 3100, and this dislike was sufficient to cause me to cease
considering purchase of these machines for my own use regardless of their
other technical merits.  The majority of engineers at my company that I
have asked have expressed dislike for the VT-220/DECstation 3100 keyboard
layout.  Our company is aware of this preference and keeps this in mind
when planning its equipment purchases.

The only exception so far is that I find the SPARCstation 1 interesting
enough that I'm considering it despite the report that it has this
irritating keyboard (I haven't actually seen a SPARCstation 1 yet, but I'm
assuming it has the same keyboard as the 386i).

Why is a company that claims it's interested in selling *engineering*
workstations switching from a keyboard that engineers like to one that
more often than not isn't liked, without even offering the option of
having the old layout?  I assume it's related to trying to meet the
European ergonomic standard for keyboards, but not offering a choice and
thus losing sales in the U.S. seems a mistake to me.

 -WBE
(Opinions expressed are my own, and not officially endorsed by BBN.)