[OS X TeX] Characters for command, control etc. keys

Jens Adam abbo at jotefa.de
Sat Mar 4 14:16:06 EST 2006


Herbert Schulz schrieb:
> I wonder why they supply things like the Option symbol when that key 
> is marked alt and option or the Escape symbol when that key is marked 
> `esc'. Maybe throwbacks from an earlier time or so the proper symbols 
> will be identified when looking at the keyboard shortcuts in the Menus.
Jon Guyer schrieb:
> Good question. The disconnect between what's on the keyboard, what's 
> in the menus, and what's in the documentation has long puzzled a lot 
> of Mac software developers. I've never heard a good explanation. 

In other countries, Germany for example, the symbols you mentioned are 
printed on the keyboard. Also true for shift, caps lock, tab, and a few 
others. So over here it is easy to find the keys shown in menu shortcuts.

I always wondered why thy print “novels” on American keyboards, 
especially for computers with an icon-based user interface. But then, 
this is similar for traffic signs, for example, we have a red standing 
and a green walking person on pedestrian traffic lights instead of the 
Don’t walk/Walk text. Makes it easier for the kids and foreign visitors, 
too.

Jens


------------------------- Info --------------------------
Mac-TeX Website: http://www.esm.psu.edu/mac-tex/
          & FAQ: http://latex.yauh.de/faq/
TeX FAQ: http://www.tex.ac.uk/faq
List Archive: http://tug.org/pipermail/macostex-archives/




More information about the MacOSX-TeX mailing list