linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 1/2] hid/apple: add module parameter to swap Command and Option keys

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Message-ID: <20090307191159.GA3355@dtor-d630.eng.vmware.com>
Date:	Sat, 7 Mar 2009 11:12:08 -0800
From:	Dmitry Torokhov <dmitry.torokhov@...il.com>
To:	Paul Collins <paul@...ly.ondioline.org>
Cc:	Jiri Slaby <jirislaby@...il.com>, Jiri Kosina <jkosina@...e.cz>,
	linux-input@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/2] hid/apple: add module parameter to swap Command
	and Option keys

Hi Paul,

On Sat, Mar 07, 2009 at 05:07:14PM +1300, Paul Collins wrote:
> Apple keyboards have the Command keys (a.k.a. the Apple or "waffle" key)
> in the positions normally occupied on PC keyboards by the Alt/AltGr keys,
> and the Option or Alt keys in the position occupied by the so-called
> Windows keys.  Folks who have been using PC-type computers for too long
> generally have insurmountable muscle memory in this regard.
> 
> This patch adds a module parameter, defaulting to off, that swaps these keys.
> 
> The same effect can also be achieved by changing the console and X
> keymaps, but this approach does not scale.  For example, I don't want to
> have to learn how to reconfigure Wayland's keymaps when the future
> arrives and we all start using it, and there may be applications I don't
> know about that also read keyboard events directly.
> 

We have a mechanism to alter in-kernel "scancode" to mapping from
userspace by issuing EVIOCSKEYCODE ioctl and there are a few utilities
written, in addition to HAL using it. So the best way I think is to
simly add an optional HAL policy.

-- 
Dmitry
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