difference between Enter and Return

[Richard Gaskin]

There's an odd thing about Wintel keyboards:  they mislabel the "Return" key
as "Enter", even though by spec it generates a different key code.

This creates a potential issue with regard to confirmation of an action vs.
adding a return character to text.

For example, if I had a dialog with a text entry field and a default button
labelled "OK", on Mac OS (where the keyboard is still labelled correctly)
the Return key puts return characters in the text, while the Enter key
confirms the action and dismisses the dialog.

On Win32, it seems more common to map both keys to adding returns, requiring
the user to tab to the default button to have either of those keys trigger
the confirmation.

Aside from writing OS-specific forked code and having the same app behave
differently on each platform, can you think of any way to allow Wintel users
the reduced steps as on Mac without confusing them because these two
different keys are mislabelled to appear the same?

And just curious:  Why do Wintel manufacturers mislabel Return?   Surely
some of them can remember the typewriter and understand the origins of that
key....

-- 
 Richard Gaskin 
 Fourth World Media Corporation
 Custom Software and Web Development for All Major Platforms
 Developer of WebMerge 1.9: Publish any Database on Any Site
 ___________________________________________________________
 Ambassador at FourthWorld.com       http://www.FourthWorld.com
 Tel: 323-225-3717                       AIM: FourthWorldInc