[Sugar-devel] seeking help to enable nepali keyboard input for XO-4

[Basanta Shrestha]

On Mon, Jun 16, 2014 at 3:20 PM, James Cameron <quozl at laptop.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 16, 2014 at 01:54:19PM +0545, Basanta Shrestha wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> We are planning on ordering the next lot of XO-4s and I need some
>> suggestions on which keyboard model to choose -membrane  or
>> hard/clicky one.
>
> I think it is great to seek input from the community, but don't forget
> to ask your OLPC contact for help as well.
>
>> We had membrane one for our first lot and keyboard switching was
>> very convenient on that model.  One reason not to choose hard/clicky
>> one is that it doesn't have key for language switching ( correct me
>> if I am wrong) -I have one spanish hard/clicky and it doesn't have
>> that key - key 56 at
>> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Keyboard_layouts.
>
> Yes, that's a good reason not to choose the mechanical keyboard; you
> would have to customise your operating system build again, to add a
> key combination for keyboard language switch.  If the cost of
> customising is too high, you should order membrane keyboard.  I don't
> know the relative costs of the keyboards, and their replacement rates,
> but it might be factored in to your decision.

The cost for customization and building again is not expensive. I have a build
machine set up in front of me.
>
> You identified the lack of language switch key in this same thread on
> sugar-devel@ back in November 2013, from which I'll draw some status:
>
> Walter says use a key combination:
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2013-November/045724.html
>
> And says that customisation will be needed:
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2013-November/045800.html
>
> Then you suggest alt+space:
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2013-November/045807.html
>
> Daniel Drake says to use olpc-os-builder:
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2013-November/045851.html
>
> And you asked about the alt+space:
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2013-November/045857.html
>
> But the thread dried up on that subject because the units you received
> had a membrane keyboard, not a mechanical keyboard.

Yes, that was exactly what happened.
>
> I think you need to change the xkb files, but I'm not sure.  Do you
> have a mechanical keyboard you can test with?  If not, you'll have to
> get someone else to do this.


Yes, I have one - the spanish one. What I need to know  is how to
enable the key combination for language switching .

>
>> Hard/Clicky on the other hard is more convenient while typing.
>> Please suggest.
>
> I don't understand why you think it is more convenient.  To me the
> keyboards are equally convenient for an inexperienced child.  Perhaps
> you intended to mention some characteristic?

Parhaps you may be right, but It is really inconvenient when you want to
 type fast on membrane keyboard. The problem is exactly what Prof.
Sameer Varma has pointed out later in this thread - "the outer edges
of the fingers get in the way of a full key depress" but even thismay
not be big issues for kids cause they mostly type character by
character using two fingers.

>
> --
> James Cameron
> http://quozl.linux.org.au/



-- 
Basanta Shrestha
Network Engineer
Open Learning Exchange (OLE) Nepal
Tel: +977.1.5544441, 5520075 Ext. 303
Cell: +977.9818 605110
http://www.olenepal.org