I started using Emacs before SHIFT-LOCK was always found on the home row next to the 'A' key. The TI 990 minicomputer terminals had CTRL next to the A key, but

I started using Emacs before SHIFT-LOCK was always found on the home row next to the 'A' key. The TI 990 minicomputer terminals had CTRL next to the A key, but the popular Dec vt100 and vt220 terminals put the SHIFT-LOCK next to the 'A' key. Sometimes using Emacs required a pinky stretch and sometimes it didn't. What really changed things was the excellent IBM Selectric typewriter[1]. Every office seemed to adopt it. This typewriter influenced the future of keyboards, the digit 1 was given it own key distinct from lower case L and the ' and " were paired on a single key as were _ and - and it also moved the * key to shift 8. Soon every new typewriter seemed to be adopting the IBM Selectric's placement of the SHIFT-LOCK next to the 'A'. This is obviously a mistake. SHIFT-LOCK doesn't have to be held down while typing other keys like the SHIFT keys does and it's use is not frequent so SHIFT-LOCK doesn't need to be on the home row next to the 'A'. In my opinion the CTRL key should be placed next to the A key. I was working as an operating system architect when IBM was building the first POWER-PC that was designed to run the new IBM Unix OS called AIX. I remember being in the meeting discussing the design of the AIX keyboard. I gave it my best shot, but I was unable to sway a majority and IBM made the decision to follow the Selectric typewriter and the IBM PC's keyboard layout. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Selectric_typewriter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Selectric_typewriter