Re: [PATCH] Unisys pc keyboard new keys patch, kernel 2.4.3

James Simmons
2001-04-17T16:57:07Z

>> Yes, but they could be. Changing the Linux keycodes is a major
>> break with compatibility. If the Linux keycodes are to be changed,
>> then they ought to be become something that would allow XFree86
>> to become keyboard-independent. Why invent yet another encoding?
>
>You dont need to break compatibility. We have cooked, raw, semi-raw type
>modes for keyboard right now. We just need to add semi-raw-extended and
>raw-extended

Why? X was designed with the idea of a input device core. Keyboards
and mice are just a extenstion of this. Now that linux has a universal
input api (/dev/input/eventX) we can wrapper X around this. I'm working on
this for embedded devices. It just plain stupid to have VT support on
something like a hand held iPAQ which doesn't usually have a keyboard
attached. Also having fbcon built in for these devices just takes up
valuable space since without a keybaord it pretty much is a waste. I
rather have fbdev by itself with input support with only serial console
support. Yes several X apps expect keybaord input coming in. Well we just
don't support those apps on a handheld device. X apps that can work
completely with a mouse would work perfectly on these embedded devices
and would be installed. Since X has this nice clean design I really like
to see XFree86 also use this approach.