[haiku-development] Re: Key roles vs. key label in menus

On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 9:57 AM, Adrien Destugues
<pulkomandy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Le Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:43:06 +0200, Ingo Weinhold <ingo_weinhold@xxxxxx>
> a écrit:
>
>> I'm rather unpassionate regarding whether to use symbols or text
>> (including bitmaps with text) for key roles. I wouldn't be happy with using
>> symbols that so far aren't associated with the respective key roles. IMO
>> when symbols are used, using the clover symbol for Command makes the most
>> sense as it is printed on current (Apple) keyboards (and even had been
>> printed on the keyboards of Mac clones back in the day when BeOS ran mainly
>> on those). Using ^ for Control is obvious enough too. I don't find the
>> argument that it could be confused with the key labeled thusly that strong.
>> As long as a distinctive font or special bitmaps are used for the modifier
>> symbols, it should be clear what is meant. I haven't seen the ⌥ yet, but if
>> Apple starts to use it on their keyboards, it sounds good enough.
>>
>
> Ok, these symbol make sense, but not because they are what's printed on
> the mac keyboard : this would be the reverse of the key roles arguments,
> and someone with a mac keyboard moving keys around would be completely
> confused.
>

The symbols represent the key roles, not the key labels, although, yes, it
would be confusing on a Mac keyboard unless you had a keymap that switched
the modifier keys as well, the … (Mac) keymaps do just that. If we go with
the clover leaf aka PLACE OF INTEREST for command, OPTION KEY for option
and ^ for control then we have come full circle once again in regards to
using unicode chars rather than bitmaps to represent key roles in menus.


> I still think they are good to use because they map easily to their
> functions for Option and Ctrl - not sure about the command one, that one
> would only be linked to Apple history (has been there forever in the menus,
> and shown next to the Apple logo on keyboards at least since they made ADB
> keyboards). To me, it does not connect visually to "command" as directly as
> the others. But then, I have nothing better to suggest...


The clover leaf did at one time represent command on BeOS when it targeted
ADB keyboard. So, there is a historical connection to BeOS there.

John Scipione

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