at Thu, 11 May 2006 19:34:24 GMT in <UkM8g.10241$qd2.458
@bignews6.bellsouth.net>, (jmcquown) wrote :

>aem wrote:
>> Kent wrote:
>>> "Kent" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> How do you do it on the computer??
>>>> Thanks for any info.
>>>
>> Another way that works in most situations is to hold down the [Alt]
>> key and use the number pad to enter 130. Thus: é -aem
>
>Yeah, it's called the ASCII character set.

Actually it's the "extended" ASCII character set - the original ASCII is
only 128 characters, the first 32 reserved for all sorts of control
characters. The 256-character set usually used is the IBM extended set.

I wish more places published tables of the character set - along with the
details on how to enter them. A lot of people are confused. Although in
fairness part of the problem is that it's not a universal standard.

What irks me most, however, is the need to use a keystroke combination.
Personally I've never really been able to get used to keystroke combos.
They seem to me counter-intuitive. Which is strange given that IME for most
people keystroke combos seem to be the *most* intuitive way of doing
things. Computers really need to be able to get to the point where you can
have 2 characters overlain on the same space - it would then be a simple
matter of typing an e (or whatever) and then typing the appropriate accent
mark (which hopefully could be incorporated into a keyboard much like a
numeric keypad).

--
Alex Rast

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