bit-paired keyboard

   (alt.:  bit-shift keyboard) A non-standard keyboard layout that seems
   to  have  originated with the Teletype ASR-33 and remained common for
   several   years  on  early  computer  equipment.  The  ASR-33  was  a
   mechanical  device  (see  {EOU}),  so  the  only  way to generate the
   character  codes  from  keystrokes  was by some physical linkage. The
   design of the ASR-33 assigned each character key a basic pattern that
   could  be  modified by flipping bits if the SHIFT or the CTRL key was
   pressed. In order to avoid making the thing even more of a kluge than
   it  already  was,  the design had to group characters that shared the
   same basic bit pattern on one key.

   Looking at the ASCII chart, we find:

[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {tty}]