Dutch "standard" keyboard does not exist

[Bart Samwel]

In System -> Preferences -> Keyboard -> Layouts I can select keyboards for "Netherlands", and then I can select a "Standard" keyboard. This so-called "standard" keyboard layout is _very_ unrealistic for the Netherlands. Yes, it's the "official" Dutch keyboad layout. No, you can't buy a computer keyboard using this layout, I've never seen one in my life. *All* computer keyboards in the Netherlands have the standard U.S. English layout. The only times I've seen this archaic keyboard layout was on old typewriters.

So here's my wishlist item: replace the "Standard" Dutch keyboard layout by a U.S. English layout, but add dead keys (because we *do* need those). Right now I can't seem to find another way to get this behaviour (unless I can find another non-English language that has dead keys and that *does* use the right keyboard layout) except getting you to add this specific keyboard setup. (For comparison: in Windows, the usual way to set up keyboards in the Netherlands is to use the US English keyboard layout combined with the NL input language, which will give you dead keys and the layout that matches what's printed on the keyboard keys. :-) )

[oliver (oliver-schinagl)]

This also is a problem for the installer(s).

It is actually a quite serious 'bug'. When a less experience user installs ubuntu, he selects his language which switches all the UI components to Dutch. Great, next screen is then the keyboard, which you just hit a few keys (qwerty works just fine btw) and continue, only to find out later that symbols etc do not work.

The original poster is entirely correct, we do not have dutch keyboards. We use US english keyboards. Normal standard american keyboards. with the Euro symbol printed on the 5 (sometimes on the odd keyboard on the 'e').

So what needed to be added in the keyboard selection box, and be set to default, is a US english layout, and an international US english keyboard. It should be called Dutch (new) maybe or Dutch (US english) or the like, so people wouldn't get too confused (about a US english layout in the dutch selection field). A lot of people prefer the US english (international) over the regular one, as we do use double dotted vouls, accent ecute/grave etc. Oh and the Euro symbol via alt (alt-gr) 5 nowadays alot.

This bug has been around since 6.10 i belive, and since I still notice it in 8.04 i thought it was time to report it.

[Wouter Stomp (wouterstomp-deactivatedaccount)]

The default for NL in the installer is now US with dead keys.

[oliver (oliver-schinagl)]

Ok I just noticed this working in Alpha 6, but it now became confusing. After choosing your locale (NL) and setting your timezone (Amsterdam) you are prompted with the keyboard and it's set as USA. It is the proper keyboard layout, but I can see how this is confusing.

I understand that technically it's completely correct, but I'd personally rather see the keyboard layout being copied to the NL menu entry, renamed accordingly and set as default. Yes it would mean there would be a duplicate of that specific keyboard layout with only a different name, but it would make it much clearer.

[oliver (oliver-schinagl)]

I saw this working correctly for 7.10 I think. The installer had a copy of the USA keyboard under the 'Netherlands' tree.

on 8.10 however, the installer still defaults to USA.

Again, this is confusing to your average user. They go through the installer selecting stuff in their language. If you are presented with a USA keyboard, you think that this may be wrong, and go to the 'Netherlands' Tree. These keyboards there however do not work properly with our keyboards.

Yes, we use USA keyboards, but nobody is aware of this.

BTW some laptops actually do use dutch keyboard layout i've seen. It is still very rare to bump into these.