Re: DOCBOOK: Re: marking up keycaps according to their semantics

["Robert P. J. Day" <rpjday@mindspring.com>]

On Wed, 12 Mar 2003, Tobias Reif wrote:

> <keycombo action="simul">
>    <keycap function="control"/>
>    <keycap function="alt"/>
>    <keycap function="backspace"/>
> </keycombo>
> 
> <keycombo action="simul">
>    <keycap function="alt"/>
>    <keycap function="shift"/>
>    <keycap>I</keycap>
> </keycombo>

i'm uncomfortable with this way of extending keycaps to handle
the additional keys.

the problem is that something like the "escape" key can be used in
two different ways:

1) it can be a "modifier", if you want to call it that, in that it
   can be pressed just before pressing another key, or

2) it can be a separate key press all on its own, such as to
   press "escape" to, say, exit a program

in either case, there should be a way to say, "i want to press
the Escape key here", which logically suggests that there should
be a separate keycap-type entry for "Escape".  

"Escape", or "Alt", or others keys like that, i don't think 
belong simply as attributes of a keycap.  really, they're keys
in their own right and should be treated as such.

i *can* accept the above extension, but it just doesn't sit
totally well with me, although i'm still pondering what i
would do differently.

rday