how to backspace in vi 2553

That's as clear as mud.

Originally the VT100 had *no* key at all labeled "Delete" or "Backspace". Other keyboards typically placed a "Backspace" key just above the "Return" key. DEC added a key to later versions of the VT100, but labeled it "Delete". It sent 0x7f, *not* 0x08.

was used for "backspace". A BS is non-destructive, and DEL is destructive. One is a ^H, the other is ^?.

(None of this involves "forward delete".)

My mistake, that is the ASCII output, not the keycode.

I was going to provide a complete chart, but decided not to, and edited it wrong. Obviously you do need to see the complete chart:

Key Label on Scancode Scancode Keymapped Keyboard Press Release Keycode ASCII

Ctrl 0x1d 0x9d 29

H 0x23 0xa3 35 ^H

BackSpace 0x0e 0x8e 14 ^?

Delete 0xe0, 0x53 0xe0, 0xd3 111 ^3~

You missed the error above! ;-) 010 or 0x08, not008. (Note that it was repeated below too.)

I'm using a Keypro Focus 9000 keyboard (which I mention just to cause keyboard cultists to drool), and it certainly doesn't does! The keyboard sends the above scancode...

Are you serious, or silly? Just name a terminal emulator that does not include vt100 emulation. Now name any other that is always included. End of debate.

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The point is that it *cannot* have been in opposition to something that didn't exist. You have confused which one was first and which standard was in response to the other.

Not to mention that your whole point about ^H was wrong, as that is *not* what is used in EBCDIC.

Oops, you are still blowing smoke. The TECO macros version of Emacs was started in 1975, GNU Emacs is from 1984. In between there was a Lisp version in 1978 and a C version first appeared in 1981.

There is no way that affected *anything* with ASCII in the 1960's, or any time in the first 10 years of ASCII's existence.

I don't know exactly what terminal type was commonly in use by those who developed Emacs for TECO in an ITS system, though we can buttume the TOPS-20 version was in fact using DEC terminals.

I guess this is going to surprise you, but millions of non-PC terminals exist. And PC's, as noted above tend to use VT-100 terminal emulators.

Where are they not? You do understand what ^? is, don't you????

Oh... I guess you don't!

BS, or ^H, or 0x08 is a non-destructive backspace.

DEL, or ^?, or 0x7f is a destructive backspace.

You and I are free to disagree on how we should each configure destructive and the other does not, that is neither here nor there. What I object to is your claiming that having the functionality for both is wrong, and that one way is the only way. And almost as bad is the imagination you use to generate "facts" to support that horrible idea!

The distributions all use the Unix set of utilities. It has nothing to do, as such, with Linux. It is Unix, and what it does is allow the user to select either way.

Name a couple.

key should be a non-destructive or a destructive backspace.

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Your numbers are probably wrong, but that makes no difference. The distributions *are* set up for PC keyboards. But that is no reason to remove the ability to use other types of terminals.

You are providing false information and giving worthless advice based on unworkable solutions. Correcting that is necessary. Others can give advice on how to configurevi-, which I don't use. (I will note that withvimon the box I'm writing this non-destructive backspace. I don't know if there is a destructive backspace, but the apparent lack of one strikes me as an impediment for a touch typist.)

It is also wrong. But even if it were right, it would be utterly stupid to remove the ability to use other keyboards.

Oh, puleeeze.

Beats Hell out of me why you can't get it right. *I* don't have that problem!

On *my* systems, a ^H in (X)Emacs gets the help facility. The and ^B are both a non-destructive backspace.

I'd bet any of those keys can be changed...

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