Every Linux user has been sooner or later trapped in a situation in
which having working Backspace and Delete
keys on the console and on X seemed impossible. This paper explains why
this happens and suggests solutions. The notions given here are essentially
distribution-independent: due to the widely different content of system
configuration files in each distribution, I will try to give the reader
enough knowledge to think up his/her own fixes, if necessary.
I assume that the Backspace key should go back one
character and then erase the character under the cursor. On the other hand,
the Delete key should delete the character under the
cursor, without moving it. If you think that the function of the two keys
should be exchanged, in spite of the fact that most keyboards feature an
arrow pointing to the left (←)
on the Backspace key, then this paper will not give you
immediate solutions, but certainly you may find the explanations given here
useful.
Another assumption is that the fixes should alter only local (user)
files. No standard part of the distribution should be altered. Finally,
this document discusses how to set up your system so that applications get
the right events. If an application decides to interpret such events in an
idiosyncratic way, the only possible fix is to reconfigure the
application.
 | Since the first release of this Mini-HOWTO things have become even
more entangled. Different distributions of the same terminal emulator
(e.g., gnome-terminal as provided by Red Hat
7.0, Helix Code/Ximian or even Red Hat≥7.1) generate different
ASCII sequences. Due to this mismatch, now the terminal
databases correspond even less to the terminal emulators they are supposed
to describe. To set a firm ground for the following discussion, we assume
basically as correct settings the ones proposed in the Debian keyboard
policy. |
Take our 
