Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Having 103, 106, or 109 keys when they may not be expected

Sorting it all Out — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:06:27 GMT

Sometimes Microsoft has a bug.

It happens.

I know that you all have trouble believing this!

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Michael S. Kaplan — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 06:28:27 GMT

Um, ok. Thanks for the feedback.

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

keely P. — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:09:35 GMT

U Suck!!!

One thing I'll always envy Mac OS X for

One thing I'll always envy Mac OS X for — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:21:48 GMT

PingBack from http://farragut.flameeyes.is-a-geek.org/articles/2007/11/16/one-thing-ill-always-envy-mac-os-x-for

Apple 3, Microsoft 0 (aka Sorting Mac and Windows all Out)

Sorting It All Out — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:18:37 GMT

This is another of those fun Mac vs. Windows user interface intuitivosity posts, like this other one

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Michael S. Kaplan — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:36:46 GMT

Ah, it looks like even Mac folks confuse the hardware with the software when it comes to keyboard sometimes. :-)

When Mark talks about three, I am pretty sure he is talking about those three from the last dialog -- each of which can be used by multiple different language....

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Paul — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:07:52 GMT

@Mark - Apple actually only sells two keyboards at the moment.... but they each come in at least twelve different layouts, at least according to the Dutch store.

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Nick — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 14:31:08 GMT

@mark: it was a Dell keyboard?

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Mo — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 02:38:01 GMT

What's even better than this is… open Keyboard Viewer (you'll need the language menu bar item, unless you use AppleScript to launch it), especially if you're on a MacBook/iBook/PowerBook/MBP. Type a few keys with your external keyboard, then type some more on your laptop keyboard.

re: Keyboards: plug-and-play, not plug-and-communicate-what-they-look-like

Watts — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:12:31 GMT

Actually, some Mac programs have "Apply" buttons, too. I think Windows programs sometimes go a little overboard in their use of it, but it's nice to have at times.

As for moving close buttons and what have you, well. People used to the Mac think the Mac is intuitive, are frustrated by Windows... and are usually surprised when someone who's been using Windows for a decade sits down in front of a Mac and gets frustrated. :) But in either case, it's not really a different language, just a different dialect, and arguments about clear superiority of one or the other tend to be... exaggerated.

I like the fact that Apple goes through the steps to identify the keyboard, but the dialog box could certainly be refined -- although I'm not sure I'd call it "patronizing." Not to any greater degree than most "wizard"-style dialog box progressions are, at least.