[Coco] CoCo 1/2 arrow keys versus CoCo 3 arrow keys

[RETRO Innovations]

On 1/11/2023 11:34 AM, Allen Huffman via Coco wrote:
> My first computer was a Commodore VIC-20. The Commodores used a werid cursor key setup, with two keys at the lower right of the keyboard. One was up/down (when shifted) and the other was left/right (when shifted). This was odd, but they were side by side and it was easy to have one hand on shift, and the other on the two cursor keys and move around — once you got used to it.
Not to sound heretical given the list topic, but I can "fly" with the 
CBM cursor key setup.
>
> When I saw the TRS-80 keyboards with left and right keys on the left side, and up and down keys on the right, that looks better. But they didn’t do anything (except backspace for left).
That is probably my single greatest usability grip with the CoCo.  I 
realize that many on this list have never enjoyed it and so don't miss 
it, but the lack of cursor based navigation on the screen for editing 
BASIC programs on the CoCo is just infuriating.
> When the CoCo 3 came out, they moved all cursor keys together on the right side. That looks great, but it was the end of me being able to play games using keyboard on the CoCo. It was just too awkward.
Can someone clarify why having all the cursor keys in one place made 
games harder to play?  Most PC games use the "inverted T", many early 
home computer games used WASD and such.  I am honestly confused how 
putting one axis on one side of the KB and the other axis on the 
opposite side (forcing the player to use both hands, and killing the 
enjoyment for someone with a handicap in one hand due to illness or 
stroke) is of benefit other than muscle memory for those who started 
with the CoCo1/2.
>
> Yes, later systems (PCs, etc.) gave us cursors on the right side, though the arrangement ended up having LEFT/DOWN/RIGHT side by side, with UP above the down. This seemed easier to use than the CoCo 3.
I'll have the contrary view here, but I think cursor keys need to be on 
the lowest rows, so the CC3 nav was not optimal. I'd have preferred  
F1/F2 be where CLEAR/Up is, CLEAR as it was before, with the inverted T 
next to and below SHIFT.  To be fair, they may have attempted that, but 
centering down under Up would have pushed Right over too far, so they 
had to move the entire thing up a row.  Or, the inverted T was not known 
enough (even though WASD was already popular) to consider, and putting 
keys on three rows really mandates the current placement
>
> Which did you prefer? CoCo 1/2, CoCo 3? And do you like modern PC/Mac cursor key arrangements?

Since I believe nav should be as close to the "rest" bottom row, the 
inverted "T" is my preference. But, I'd take the CBM nav system over the 
CC3, even if the editors were the same.

Jim