The first computer I ever had was a KayPro II that I bought in 1983. The word processor that came with it was WordStar. No function keys, and the Caps Lock key was off in some obscure location. There were no function keys, and almost all of the WordStar commands used letter keys in combination with the CTRL key. Now, on my notebook (a Dell, purchased a year ago), they followed the current practice of key placement, which puts the #@%&!!#* Caps Lock key where the CTRL key used to be. I use Word 2000 on it and some commands call for CTRL key/letter key combinations, and I always have to hunt for the flamin' CTRL key. Whoever had the bright idea of putting the Caps Lock key in its present location ought to have his nads deep fried in boiling oil.

When I bought my desktop about two years ago, I bitched to the guy who put it together for me about keyboard layout. He went into the back room and brought out a brand-new keyboard with the CTRL key where God intended it to be (adjacent to the "a") -- Caps Lock bottom left and out of the way -- and with the function keys along the left side instead of across the top (across the top makes you used two hands to enter some commands that used to take only one). So they're still making well-designed keyboards, but you have to raise hell and demand them.

I looked all over my keyboard, and there's no brand name on it. Sorry.

Don Firth