newRPL: proposal for Alpha mode

[Helix]

I'm reactivating this thread to post my thoughts about the alpha mode in the current newRPL firmware.
I'm not sure it's an improvement compared to the 50g. I would say it's different, but not better. In fact, I still don't like the fact that the Alpha key activates the last used mode (capital or lower case letters). I'd prefer by far capital letters at the beginning.
In this case we would have:

In direct/program/algebraic modes:
press and hold ALPHA : temporary capital letters mode
ALPHA : activates the capital letters mode
double ALPHA : activates the lower case letters mode
triple ALPHA : no effect

In capital letters mode, if at least one letter has been entered in this mode:
press and hold ALPHA : temporary lower case letters mode
ALPHA : switches to the lower case letters mode
Double ALPHA : returns to the previous non alpha mode (Direct, Program or Algebraic)

In lower case letters mode, if at least one letter has been entered in this mode:
press and hold ALPHA : temporary capital letters mode
ALPHA : switches to the capital letters mode
Double ALPHA : returns to the previous non alpha mode (Direct, Program or Algebraic)

To me it would be more intuitive like that. If some users have different preferences, then I suggest making the choice available through a flag: first alpha press activates either the capital letters mode, or the last used alpha mode.

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In program or algebraic modes, is there a need to switch to the direct mode? I think it would be preferable here that the right shift ENTRY just toggles between algebraic and program modes, like in the 50g.

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I've been thinking about Greek letters too. The proposal in the first post seems too complex for me.
The suggestion with the long press and cycling procedure as described above could be interesting. Another more conventional solution would be to simply use the left shift and right shift keys to enter lower case and capital Greek letters. This would be independent of the current alpha mode (capital or lower case letters).These characters are mainly used in mathematics and physics (apart from Greek users…), where we generally need only one character at once, and a direct access is important here, avoiding a mess of key presses.

The same is valid for underscripts and superscripts, which should be independent of the current alpha mode. So for example, in any alpha mode:
* pressing and holding the left shift key, and then pressing 0..9 would enter a subscript
* pressing and holding the right shift key, and pressing 0..9 would enter a superscript
I'm not sure that making the left shift key available for new uses is very interesting.

Just some thoughts.