Author Topic: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?  (Read 12093 times)

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Offline alberthrocks

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As the title says: Do you want an ABCDE keyboard on the calc (somewhere, likely bottom), or just a regular Alpha lock?

Consider how your daily usage may be affected, selling point, familiarity, and rules and regulations for tests.
Happy voting! :)
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Offline program4

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2010, 09:41:39 am »
I chose Alpha-Lock, because ABCDE means too many keys, and possibly smaller keys.

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2010, 09:53:23 am »
/\dittoes

Offline calcdude84se

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2010, 10:11:18 am »
Agreed. Fewer keys is better. On the other hand, we should consider how we'll type letters. We can either have it like TI (numbers by default, press and release a key to set alpha mode), have it switched so it's letters by default, we can have it so it's more like shift and caps lock than just a one-key caps lock. (Hold the alpha button and press a key rather than press and release the alpha button then press a key)
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Offline program4

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2010, 10:18:31 am »
I think that calcdude's idea is great. Then, the calculator needs to recognize two keypresses (not much of a problem).

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2010, 06:36:14 pm »
I prefer Alpha lock based on what program1 said above. Fewer keys mean less intimidation for mainstream students who don't use their calcs as much. :P


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Offline willrandship

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2010, 07:27:13 pm »
hmm...what about 3 modes? ALPHA alpha Math, and just have a slider switch. That way, no one style is default. If the programming is non-tokenized, there will be very little need for anything but text and numbers, with the occasional switch to the math pad for an advanced function.

Something like this, I'm thinking

|A|B|C|D|E|
|F|G|H|I|J|
|K|1|2|3|L|
|M|4|5|6|N|
|O|7|8|9|P|
|Q|R|0|S|T|
|U|V|W|X|Y|
|Z|_|"|Etc. for however many keys

Probably not that layout exactly, but you get the idea. Then, the math set has all the stuff like Sin( Cos( Tan( Log( and maybe some variables. We should probably also have one row of keys along the top, bottom or side for graphing, Tables, Notes, that kind of thing.

It might also be a good idea to have a toggle between with a button, so you can easily type variables.

Grr, 7*5 is one off :P

Offline Deep Toaster

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2010, 08:51:10 pm »
I chose Alpha-Lock, because ABCDE means too many keys, and possibly smaller keys.

Agreed. That's what I didn't like about the Nspire (besides all the messy start-ups, locked-down features, lack of commands, wasted graphics, lockable OSes, etc.).




Offline MRide

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2010, 08:59:18 pm »
Alpha Lock.  Means less keys.
But maybe instead of 2nd Alpha for A-Lock, just hit the Alpha key twice.

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2010, 09:02:30 pm »
I'd rather just keep it in ALPHA lock after pressing Alpha once. It'd be easier to work with except with mixed variable names, but then we could just keep away from mixing letters and numbers. We wouldn't need a password of any kind, would we?




Offline MRide

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2010, 09:05:02 pm »
But then typing one letter would involve three key presses as opposed to just two.

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2010, 12:33:41 pm »
What MRide said. Something like TI or Casio seems like a better idea to me. It takes a bit to get used to at first since on the computer you're used to an actual letter keyboard but once you did you're usually set. Another idea could be holding down ALPHA to type letters, but I think this may become annoying if you want to type with both hands like I do when holding my calc.

Offline Netham45

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2010, 01:57:32 pm »
Maybe an Alpha Lock to a qwerty keyboard?


What's the orientation of the calc going to be, like the TI calcs, or like a wide screen on top and a keyboard on bottom?
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Offline Deep Toaster

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2010, 01:59:20 pm »
Maybe an Alpha Lock to a qwerty keyboard?


What's the orientation of the calc going to be, like the TI calcs, or like a wide screen on top and a keyboard on bottom?

Yeah, but testers don't like QWERTY, remember.

Having it vertical like TI would probably be a good idea, since we'd be able to reach all the keys easier.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2010, 02:00:55 pm by Deep Thought »




Offline Netham45

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Re: [OTZ80] [Poll] ABCDE keyboard on the bottom, or regular Alpha lock?
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2010, 02:03:50 pm »
Oh yea, that retarded no-qwerty thing...

We just need to have a private hack to enable qwerty. `-`
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