Editing Enterprise (computer) (section)

=== Keyboard and case ===

The case is unusual in that it contains both a full-sized keyboard with programmable [[function keys]], and a [[joystick]]. Its distinctive shape was due to the designers' desire to break away from customary designs.<ref name="YC_Feb_1985">{{cite journal |date=February 1985 |title=Enterprise Review |url=https://archive.org/details/your-computer-magazine-1985-02/page/n45/mode/2up |journal=[[Your Computer (British magazine)|Your Computer]] |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=46–48}}</ref> The low-profile keyboard is constructed with mechanical keycaps on top of a rubber membrane and has a standard layout, but the feel of the keys was disliked by many, or even most people, because the keys weren't "full travel", but had a squishy feel, similar to a [[Sinclair QL]] or [[ZX Spectrum#ZX Spectrum+|Spectrum+]]. The joystick replaces the normal cursor keys, and allows the cursor to be moved diagonally.

[[Royal College of Art]] graduates Geoff Hollington and Nick Oakley were responsible for the design, having tendered for this particular contract, and had only seven days to produce the visual design concept. Tooling for production of the casing was also demanded in a rapid timeframe and took five months. Originally, a combination of greys was envisaged for the casing elements, but seeking to avoid the look of office equipment and to appeal to "the lower end of the market", the eventual dark grey case with red, green and blue keys was chosen.<ref name="design198311_enterprise">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_design_1983-11_419/page/n63/mode/2up | title=Enterprise out of the ordinary | magazine=Design | date=November 1983 | access-date=16 March 2022 | last1=Robinson | first1=Colin | pages=62–63 }}</ref>