9fans archive / 1997 / 09 / 38 /    prev next

From: Nigel Roles ngr@sym...
Subject: [9fans] re: emacs jokes  -Reply
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 08:28:27 +0100

Called a Microwriter.

The same key system was used more recently on a machine called an
Agenda, but they put the keys to close together and wondered why nobody
bought it. In fact until you mentioned the Microwriter I'd forgoten all
about it!

>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Stephen Simon [SMTP:SFSA@tel...]
>Sent:	Monday, September 08, 1997 11:01 PM
>To:	9fans@cse...
>Subject:	Re: [9fans] re: emacs jokes  -Reply
>
>
>Hi all,
>
>Don't joke about 5 button mice - I rembember a small box being marketed
>in the early 1980s that had 4 or 5 buttons, 16 character LCD display,
>an RS232 interface and basic word processing software (?!).
>
>You formed letters using combinations of button presses and could
>use it as a keyboard replacement or to pre-enter text before
>downloading when you reached the office. The claim was that users
>could type *real* fast using this box. 
>
>Sadly I never bought or even tried one, however I always thought it was
>a great idea, and with a bouse ball on the bottom... more RSI I suspose.
>
>-Steve
>