h a l f b a k e r yThe leaning tower of Piezo
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I'm sure we've done this one, at least in an annotation... |
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I think it was software, though. |
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You'd think so: it's not like the idea requires any great stretch of the imagination. But I couldn't find one and neither could Google. |
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While software has the advantage of being able to disable other devices as well through the OS, it may interfere with an existing macro and requires installing a driver etc. |
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Hardware is pretty straightforward and of course will work exactly as advertised no matter what computer/OS it's on. Just short-circuit power to the keys section. |
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I can't find a specific mention of this idea either; I may have been thinking of general 'cat on keyboard' conversations. But there are a few halfbakery links to a baked software alternative called PawSense. |
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What you really want is an off switch. We should be more in the habit of turning things off when walking away, for reasons beyond power consumption. |
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If you mean the computer on/off switch, then no, that doesn't cut it. Just 'cuz kitty has her own idea of what a "laptop" is doesn't mean the 'puters gonna get shut down while she gets a backrub. |
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The power consumption of a keyboard is less than minimal really: you'd use up more personal energy turning it on and off than would be consumed by the tiny LED's that mark cap/num/scrl, if that were the only consideration. |
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No, I meant an off switch on the keyboard. If you're going to have a physical switch, it just seems more parsimonious to make it 'off', rather than 'mode: execute ready'. I've often wished for a power switch on peripherals or components, for reasons that might have been hard to foresee. |
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Well yes, so have I, though mostly for reasons quite easy to foresee, but the idea is to make it unobtrusive to the machine as well as the person. |
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A PC needs to "see" an attached keyboard or it goes nuts "Error: keyboard not found: press any key to continue..." sort of thing, so a main-power switch wouldn't work... plus, since the PC being turned off turns the keyboard off anyways, the button really would be a "cat on keyboard" button, for those occasions and similar. |
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Maybe RS-232 keyboards misbehave when you temporarily disconnect them, but PS-2 and USB are fine; I just checked. Nonetheless, what I really meant is that _I_ would prefer a power switch. Just to show 'em who's boss. |
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I just realised that this can be baked (well, my version) using a KVM switch. In fact, the old hardware KVM switches are proof that computers don't mind their keyboards being disconnected. |
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Well, I remember the BIOS complaining a few times... doubtless plugging/unplugging a USB keyboard would result in the usual bother for the computer. |
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I haven't physically hacked any keyboards, but I imagine that for a PS2/5pin DIN you'd just close the circuit between power in and power out sticking the highest rated resistor between that you could and still keep the PC happy. |
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For a USB keyboard I don't imagine it'd be much different: in that case you'd just be opening the keys circuit, leaving the USB bit intact. |
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In both cases the switch would just be a latch. |
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My wireless keyboard has an 'off' switch on the bottom. I
use it for this very purpose. |
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... how do you reach the bottom of the keyboard when the cat occupies the top? |
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Oh, and, yay for revisiting HB! I /become/ giddy every time I wander back here. And we still have familiar handles about, capital! |
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In my 'toddler on keyboard' events, I try to use Win+L to lock the machine, thus disabling the keyboard. It works quite well, though I wonder how long until she works out how to press ctr-alt-del. |
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Having said that, it would be great if it would lock only the keyboard, leaving the screen and mouse for me to keep reading. |
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// ... how do you reach the bottom of the keyboard
when the cat occupies the top?
// |
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I'm extraordinarily clever. I do it before the cat arrives. |
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Hi absterge, glad you wandered back in. Stay awhile.
As for the idea, Claire used to just nudge my hand
when she wanted me to get off the computer. |
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