Re: [Usability] newbie suggestions ...

[Christian Rose <menthos menthos com>]

Alan Horkan wrote:
> >>I'd like to add the keybindings
> >>Ctrl+A  Select All
> >
> >I guess the reason that Ctrl+A is not included is that it usually
> >conflicts with the "Go to the beginning of the line" Emacs shortcut, and
> >GTK+ fields also use Emacs shortcuts. I don't know if Emacs shortcuts
> >will be enabled by default in GNOME2 though,
>
> aagh! emacs keybindings by default how scary is that.  useful maybe but
> please not on by default.

I agree, but the problem is that it has it has been on by default in the
past. I suspect there will be lovely flames and heated discussions from
some users if it is off by default in the future. There already has been
some heated discussions on some gnome mailing lists when Emacs shortcuts
were discussed. But yeah, not enabling them by default sounds like the
saner strategy to me(1).


[...]
> >>http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/draft_hig/keyboard.html#shortcuts
> >>I use gnome on (Solaris?BSD?)Sparc (sometimes) and the command key is
> >>Alt not Ctrl.
> >>Same goes for BeOS, and then there is the Mac ... even though they dont
> >>run Gnome its good to be portable.
> >
> >I suspect the big reason why Alt is a bad choice for command keys is
> >that it usually collides with "underlined character" shortcuts in the
> >interface, and there are (and should be) many of those. Also, Ctrl as
> >command key has the benefit of being compatible with the largest
> >desktop, Windows.
>
> That reason for not using Alt is already mentioned on the page i linked
> to .

Alright, then the reasons have already been stated. :)


Christian


(1) I'm an Emacs user myself and use it for all my translation work, but
I wouldn't dream of forcing other people to accept its quirks or
shortcuts. :)