Spontaneous numlock

[dsimic]

I know the chip isn't proprietary, but the software it runs, which makes the keyboard work, is.  It's probably normal these days, just odd to me that a keyboard manufacturer would supply software for you to run outside of the product they deliver.

I agree, such an arrangement is rather weird.  It would be interesting to see how the "normal" USB keyboards are implemented in "regular" x86 laptops.

It is my opinion, right or wrong, that if we're going to have a fully functional keyboard and a touchpad without serious hysteresis, someone is going to have to write the firmware from scratch in 8051.

Having a replacement, open-source firmware for the keyboard and the touchpad would be really great, but...

I still haven't opened my PBP in the past few months and looked, but that 8-write limit prevents development work.  Could be OK if you just want to install a new version once a year or so.

... the low write limit would make the development of the replacement firmware rather complicated.