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Re: Unit Scaling Prefixes: (was Birthday Wish)



Thanx for your keyboard remapping tip, Michael. That'll save me a lot of anguish. You
musta read the users manual.

poj

Michael Edmiston wrote:

I think the word-processing folks have dealt with this quite
effectively if you stick with the "major" full-scale word processing
programs like Word, WordPerfect, AmiPro, etc.; and I applaud them.

There are so many characters one might want, it would be fairly
hopeless to come up with a modified keyboard to satisfy all users.
Instead, they offer two very good alternatives.

(1) On the pull-down menu (INSERT) the good word processors have a
SYMBOL or CHARACTER option. If you click on INSERT then click on
SYMBOL (or CHARACTER) you will be given a graphical representation of
many characters that you can insert by clicking on the appropriate
character. This is extremely easy and pretty fool-poof... you don't
have to remember anything. The only problem is that it takes several
mouse clicks.

(2) For those symbols that you use frequently, you can "re-map" your
keyboard. For example, I have my keyboard set so that alt-d is
lower-case delta, and alt-shift-d is upper-case delta. I mapped all
Greek (and math) symbols that I use frequently. I knew I had mapped
too many when I couldn't remember them anymore. With ones I use
daily/weekly I remember where they're mapped. The ones I use rarely, I
just use the INSERT-SYMBOL menus.

Notice that I mapped my keyboard in a way that makes sense. I have
alt-p as lower-case pi and alt-shift-p as upper-case pi. But I also
did some dumb things. I originally put lower-case omicron as alt-u
because that's what it looks like. But I would often look for it under
alt-m (thinking micro). Eventually I put it both places. I didn't put
it under alt-o because that's where omega is. But some people put
lower-case omega under alt-w because that's what it looks like.

Anyway, my advice is to map the ones you use regularly, and use
INSERT-SYMBOL for ones you use occasionally. And when you do the
mapping, think through it carefully... in some cases, the best mapping
scheme is not obvious.

I also have a computer both at home and at my office. It took me a
while to realize I have to map both keyboards the same... duh.

Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D. Phone/voice-mail: 419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics FAX: 419-358-3323
Chairman, Science Department E-Mail edmiston@bluffton.edu
Bluffton College
280 West College Avenue
Bluffton, OH 45817