... The reason is I suggest a different arrangement for the default
compose keys. 256, one more than is available normally, allows a full
hexadecimal entry method, a Compose key hexpad.
It has long annoyed me that that directness is absent,
when it was present on much older machines and "toy" machines like the
c64. The c64 didn't have an actual hexpad, but there was some key
combination for all 256 bytes, which does not appear to be the case with a
stock Linux. A hexpad is utterly general, and regular. The various
sophisticated interfaces Linux provides other than this are great, but are
not so great as to validate losing the things they are built on.
But wait, Linux *does* have a hexpad, and also a decimal pad.
No kernel or other changes required.
Press left Alt, type a number on the keypad, release left Alt, and voila:
you produced a byte with the specified decimal value.
Press right Alt, type a number on the keypad, release right Alt, and voila:
you produced a byte with the specified hexadecimal value.
If you try and fail, you must update your keymap.
Perhaps "loadkeys linux-with-alt-and-altgr.inc" will do.
(There are several conventions around about how to get
the hexadecimal A-F. The nicest one assigns these to
Keypad keys NumLock, /, *, -, +, Enter, so that you remain
on the keypad. You can also choose to use the ordinary letters.)
Andries
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