All valid arguments, in addition to mine that I'd like to investigate the use of thin clients for consoles (we have had too many problems with various extenders lately to make me trust in them for future higher-resolution displays), and that operators often need full alphanumeric capabilities (for Select, primarily) so we have both keyboards anyway, on limited desktop space in the console. I'd like to be rid of the membrane keyboards going forward as well, but the operators really like them, and certainly we will have to put some time into the graphics to improve navigation and access to critical displays. What did you guys do to ease that transition? No touch screens here. The operators greatly preferred using trackballs or mice to leaning forward and touching the screen :) Corey From: tjvandew@xxxxxxxxx To: foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: 03/16/2011 09:43 AM Subject: Re: [foxboro] Obsolescence and unavailability of 6 X 8 annunciator keypads Sent by: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx We quit using them for a host of reasons: Cost of Ann keybds and GCIO to support them. Long term reliability and support. Tied the effective operation of the process to that specific location/workstation. If control room needed to evacuate and operate from different location the operator needs to have same functionality elsewhere. When we combined operator responsibilities we couldn't easily combine the Ann kybds. They went the same way as the old CRT touchscreens. Is anyone out there still using those? Just curious. Tom Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry _______________________________________________________________________ This mailing list is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Invensys Process Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here at your own risks. Read http://www.thecassandraproject.org/disclaimer.html foxboro mailing list: //www.freelists.org/list/foxboro to subscribe: mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=join to unsubscribe: mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=leave