Hello Johnny,

   JB> Not sure what systems you might have been using then.
     > All DEC systems had the delete key delete to the left.

You inspired me to dig out some yellowing notes from back
when I was using VT-100 and VT-102s.  Sure enough, on some
systems I had to press Backspace and on others I had to
press Delete to erase the character to the left of the
cursor.  You were right.

   JB> I'll spare you my guesses, but my comment in another
     > mail about deleting to the right being pretty meaning
     > -less before line editing arrived stands, and that
     > probably goes for other vendors as well.

Delete as 'delete the character under (a block cursor) or to
the right of the (I-beam) cursor' makes sense to a paper
tape punch and I see a lot of X applications using it that
way today.  Perhaps it's one of those conventions that comes
and goes like the tide?  :-)

   JB> Was rasied on DEC OSes...

I'm saving up for a PDP-11/03 ;-)

- Andy Ball.