[K12OSN] Numlock

[Henry Hartley]

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Mark Cockrell
>> 
>> > Should be able to set that in the BIOS -- of course you have
>> > to visit each machine.
>> 
>> I have that option set in the BIOS, and the numlock is active
>> until the LTSP kernel starts to load.  At that point it's
>> deactivated and must be pressed again to activate.  If you're
>> accustomed to using the 10-key to enter a numeric password it's
>> really quite a hassle, and once again the cry of "I like Windows
>> better!" resounds throughout the hallways.

I agree with others that it's not hard to press the NumLock key once.
On the other hand, this is something that Microsoft has gotten right for
a long (LONG) time and Linux still doesn't get it.  This SHOULD be a
BIOS issue but Linux and its various subsystems seem to think they know
better.  Linux (and its various subsystems) should leave it alone.
Utilities and hacks should be required to change the NumLock setting
from what the BIOS says, not to get it BACK to what the BIOS says.  On
this issue - and perhaps only on this issue :) - Windows is smarter than
Linux.

Personally, I'd rather a keyboard without a NumLock key and those keys
permanently set to numbers.  After all, I've got a complete set of
dedicated arrow keys.  But to illustrate how subjective this is, I've
got users who turn NumLock off and use the keypad for arrows and never
use the dedicated arrow keys.

-- 
Henry