Re: Keyboard Help Please
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:40:05AM +0800, Greg Manzie wrote: The e, d, c and enter keys would hang and sometimes not work at all. This happens in Finder, Mail, Safari and Appleworks (possibly others) but not all of the time. Thanks for providing such a complete description of your situation. However, unless there is something special going on, the first thing you should suspect is a hardware problem within the keyboard (which is never going to be resolved by a software upgrade). Depending on the model of keyboard, and its physical environment, you could suspect either a mechanical issue or an electrical issue. Sometimes, built-up grime is enough to jam the mechanical response of keys, and this can be resolved easily. If it were a software problem, it would normally be deliberately caused by special input methods (e.g. non-Roman writing systems or 'accessibility' features), and would have a consistent trigger pattern, and would not affect such a peculiar assortment of keys. If you are in a physically clean environment (e.g. you do not spill drinks into your keyboard), it is probably a bit hard to explain why so many keys have failed, but for all I know it might be a consequence of the arrangement of electrical conductors in the keyboard. Things like cracks in electrical conductors can cause intermittent problems that resolve themselves if you physically handle the keyboard. It is also possible that there's a permanent degradation of a discrete component or integrated circuit (in the keyboard) that is causing these problems. If you suspect a software problem, one approach might be to borrow a second keyboard for a while. Whenever your current keyboard misbehaves, try pressing the equivalent keys on the second keyboard. If the second keyboard always works, then replace your current keyboard. You could also simply try unplugging (and then replugging) your keyboard each time this happens, to effect a power cycle. If the problem applies to both keyboards, however...um...
Re: Keyboard Help Please
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:59:49AM +0800, James Devenish wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:40:05AM +0800, Greg Manzie wrote: The e, d, c and enter keys would hang and sometimes not work at all. [...] it is probably a bit hard to explain why so many keys have failed Actually: note that 'e', 'd' and 'c' all form a column on the keyboard. Generally, the natural arrangement of buttons in keyboards and keypads is as a 'matrix'. While I don't know about Apple keyboards, a traditional construction and operation of matrices is based around a row/column design. Therefore, failures affecting a column or failures affecting a row would be a veritable 'calling card' of hardware failure.
Re: Keyboard Help Please
Thank you James, for your excellent input. I now remember that at one stage the space bar was affected which is almost in the same row. I will borrow another keyboard and see if the problem recurs. It also seems strange that the enter key is faulty, but never the return key. The environment is clean and stable. A new keyboard is looking more like the answer. The next time it happens I will make more observations and post the eventual answer to the list. Regards Greg Manzie Director Glyde Gallery Conservation Conservators, Consultants and Picture Framers for Museums, Art Galleries and Collectors 5 Glyde Street MOSMAN PARK Western Australia 6012 Telephone (08) 9383 3929 Mobile 0438 833 144 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ABN 89 154 124 265 On 06 Sep 2004, at 11:10 AM, James Devenish wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:59:49AM +0800, James Devenish wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:40:05AM +0800, Greg Manzie wrote: The e, d, c and enter keys would hang and sometimes not work at all. [...] it is probably a bit hard to explain why so many keys have failed Actually: note that 'e', 'd' and 'c' all form a column on the keyboard. Generally, the natural arrangement of buttons in keyboards and keypads is as a 'matrix'. While I don't know about Apple keyboards, a traditional construction and operation of matrices is based around a row/column design. Therefore, failures affecting a column or failures affecting a row would be a veritable 'calling card' of hardware failure. -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml Guidelines - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml Unsubscribe - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] WAMUG is powered by Stalker CommuniGatePro
Re: Keyboard Help Please
please note that the return and enter key are two different keys that do two different functions (though on may applications the effect is the same). I'll suggest that it is your physical keyboard as I have similar problem on my Apple Pro keyboard plugged in to my Powerbook - problem is only on the external usb keyboard - the built in (laptop) keyboard's fine as is using a different keyboard (the usb keyboard from my Wintel box). Thank you James, for your excellent input. I now remember that at one stage the space bar was affected which is almost in the same row. I will borrow another keyboard and see if the problem recurs. It also seems strange that the enter key is faulty, but never the return key. The environment is clean and stable. A new keyboard is looking more like the answer. The next time it happens I will make more observations and post the eventual answer to the list. Regards Greg Manzie Director Glyde Gallery Conservation Conservators, Consultants and Picture Framers for Museums, Art Galleries and Collectors 5 Glyde Street MOSMAN PARK Western Australia 6012 Telephone (08) 9383 3929 Mobile 0438 833 144 Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ABN 89 154 124 265 On 06 Sep 2004, at 11:10 AM, James Devenish wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:59:49AM +0800, James Devenish wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Mon, Sep 06, 2004 at 10:40:05AM +0800, Greg Manzie wrote: The e, d, c and enter keys would hang and sometimes not work at all. [...] it is probably a bit hard to explain why so many keys have failed Actually: note that 'e', 'd' and 'c' all form a column on the keyboard. Generally, the natural arrangement of buttons in keyboards and keypads is as a 'matrix'. While I don't know about Apple keyboards, a traditional construction and operation of matrices is based around a row/column design. Therefore, failures affecting a column or failures affecting a row would be a veritable 'calling card' of hardware failure. -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml Guidelines - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml Unsubscribe - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] WAMUG is powered by Stalker CommuniGatePro -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml Guidelines - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml Unsubscribe - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] WAMUG is powered by Stalker CommuniGatePro -- ~ Mark Secker Computer Support Officer ph#6488 1855 (ECEL) mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] University of Western Australia - CRICOS Provider No. 00126G ~ Only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible. - Miguel de Unamuno It takes an idiot to do cool things that's why it's cool - Haruhara Haruka (FLCL) http://ecel-mark.ecel.uwa.edu.au/~marksecker/index.htm (sometimes works)
Re: Keyboard Help Please
About the same time I also started having intermittent problems with my keyboard entries. It is a standard Apple keyboard, that came with the G4. I have a user here with a standard corded G4 keyboard - at some stage around upgrading to 10.3 he lost the volume up / volume down and eject buttons on the keypad. The fault is certainly not mechanical and posts to other lists to date have been fruitless... Cheers, Antony. -- == == = = Antony N. Lord = http://antonylord.com = = [EMAIL PROTECTED] = Perth, Western Australia = == = ==
Re: Keyboard Help Please
About the same time I also started having intermittent problems with my keyboard entries. It is a standard Apple keyboard, that came with the G4. I have a user here with a standard corded G4 keyboard - at some stage around upgrading to 10.3 he lost the volume up / volume down and eject buttons on the keypad. The fault is certainly not mechanical and posts to other lists to date have been fruitless... Cheers, Antony. -- == == = = Antony N. Lord = http://antonylord.com = = [EMAIL PROTECTED] = Perth, Western Australia = == = ==
