I think Apple did the right thing by keeping GUI shortcuts separate from terminal control codes.
I never understood why the Linux GUI world ran blindly after Windows and emulated every pattern, good or bad. And yes, I know that Ctrl-C/Ctrl-P for Copy/Paste are much older and came out of IBM's CUA and SAA initiatives. What matters is that with the Mac we had a clear role model how to handle this aspect of GUI cleanly but me missed it.
While we’re at it, I’m still on the lookout for IBM’s original SAA and CUA documentation. If anyone has these lying around, I’d be interested
> I think Apple did the right thing by keeping GUI shortcuts separate from terminal control codes
They are separate because they ditched terminal shortcuts and later begrudgingly brought them back. The original Mac didn’t have a control key. They added it back in 1987 because of pressure of terminal emulator programs.
You mean they successfully resisted the temptation to repurpose Ctrl, even though they were sure never to need it again. They did the right thing by introducing a new key for a new thing.
The problem is not the lack of alternatives but the embrace, extend and extinguish of established Ctrl-Key combination standards.
I am not angry at Microsoft because that is what they do. I am disappointed of Linux that it followed suit.
Besides that, every Mac has Ctrl and Option, the vast majority of users does not have dedicated Ins and Del anymore and I doubt they know how to use the Fn combos for that.
I never understood why the Linux GUI world ran blindly after Windows and emulated every pattern, good or bad. And yes, I know that Ctrl-C/Ctrl-P for Copy/Paste are much older and came out of IBM's CUA and SAA initiatives. What matters is that with the Mac we had a clear role model how to handle this aspect of GUI cleanly but me missed it.
While we’re at it, I’m still on the lookout for IBM’s original SAA and CUA documentation. If anyone has these lying around, I’d be interested