We've seen our fair share of
battles in the consumer electronics industry, but this
war is distinctly different than those waged in
courtrooms or even conference centers, as the focal point here isn't a person, company, or even an entity. Pieter Hintjens is rounding up his troops in order to bring about a change that's most improbable: to have the Caps Lock key retired, permanently. Although some of you may chuckle at the idea and deem it unworthy of such an effort, we can imagine Pieter isn't alone in his disdain for the awkward key. Judging solely by the rate at which fellow petitioners are claiming their allegiance on the CAPSoff website, there are indeed an army of haters gaining strength. The group's mission is to awaken the public and get them to seriously think about the precious keyboard real estate that is so unfairly utilized by the (nearly) worthless uppercasing shortcut. Hintjens is a man on a mission, but he's keeping a cool head, and by offering up alternatives that could hopefully appease both camps, some sort of resolution can presumably be found; he has suggested that Caps Lock be relocated beside Scroll Lock, so that Fortran programmers (about the only folks on the planet aside from Nigerian email scammers who use this key with any frequency) can still have access to quick uppercasing. Now that you've been briefed, and you're fully aware of what's at stake, there's really only one question that remains: will you just sit around and gawk, or will you
fight for CAPSoff?
[Via
Slashdot]
posted Aug 17th 2006 3:27AM
Oh, and as for the Win-D, Win-R, etc shortcuts... yes, they're awesome, but for me, it's also about "Win, down, Enter" in rapid succession to launch Firefox (because it's the top shortcut on my Start menu). And "Win, down, down, Enter" launches Outlook.
Personally, the mouse just slows me down.
As for "Insert", we can never do away with that. Heck, I bet you want to get rid of "Home" and "End" while we're at it. Let me tell how much I can't STAND it when companies move around that block of keys over there. The fastest - I mean absolute fastest - way to copy and paste a line of text is, hands down...
Hold Shift through all of this: End, Del, Ins.
Now, move elsewhere, and Shift-Ins to paste again.
Really, once you get used to using a keyboard to its full potential, the idea of moving keys around just becomes more and more annoying.
Wow, now this is one of the stupidest things i've ever seen, just because some clown doesn't use a key on a keyboard he wants to ban.
Cap locks has a reason to be there and it used plenty for the last 10 years i've had my cap locks on at work almost the entire day as i'm a drafter. Technical drawings, you know, the things thate are required to make any item in existance in the world, have to follow certain standards, and one of those is all text on technical drawings is in caps, if cap locks didn't exist hundreds of thousands of people would probably have to tape their ctrl key down just to get by.
I have eleminated CAPSLOCK by making the key behave like ESC. I need ESC all the time when working with vim and the key is nearer to my pinky finger than the original ESC key (which is also broken btw).
I can recommend adjusting your keybord layout to your needs, you will not regret it.
While we're at it, why not remove the Scroll Lock, Sys Req (does anyone actually know what Sys Req does?) and insert.
http://pfuca-store.stores.yahoo.net/haphackeylit1.html
I've been happily hacking with a Control key where caps lock normally goes for over a year now. Keyboards without caps lock remapped must die in a fire. I'm all for QWERTY rather than DVORAK, but we really need to rethink the placement and inclusion of all the other keys on the keyboard.
I love how people instantly assume that the computer nazi's are out to ruin their capslock loving fun.
It's not rocket science people, what is being suggested is:
Remove it and use software to UPPER CASE, Title Case, Sentence case OrCamelCase.
Place it somewhere less promonent and put a more usefull key in it's place.
Or, I just thought of a third solution; double tap shift to switch cases, this would be particularily cool if it toggled the case of selected text.
for some reason on my mac keyboard I don't really hit it by mistake as much as I would on a generic keyboard, but I wholeheartedly agree it's place on a keyboard is way too valuable a piece of realestate for such an under used key.
I agree wako the windows key suks ars...
Yes, the Capslock key is useful maybe once every ten thousand letters typed. But how often is the Insert key useful? Never. It just confuses people, especially those who don't know its function.
When I got a mac, I thought my insert-key troubles were over, but they just replaced it with the equally-useless Help key. I always hit it when I go for Home, End, or Delete. We should just ban that key position altogether.
Aside from Scroll Lock, the key that seems most useless to me is the context menu key (next to the right-side windows key). The only times in my life I've ever used that key have been on stupid websites that try to disable right clicking.
The key we should really be focusing out hatred on is the Ins key. Granted, as a newly converted mac user, I don't have this key. But I remember back in my Windows days that the Ins key was basically the completely-f***-up-a-Word-document key, because you didn't realize what you were doing until you'd typed over like a paragraph of text. DAMN YOU INS KEY! A PLAGUE UPON YOUR HOUSE!
let's just get rid of the entire keyboard and have robots type for us
Come get a life, it is just a key. It is very usefull in ways. Dont get all hyped up over some guy that thinks a key will be removed because he hates it. Maybe when he gets a life he will realize how stupid he is making him self look, and how big of a laugh this is giving me. Maybe if the guy ever tried programing somthing he would understand why no one belives him. OR MAYBE IF HE EVEN TRYS OPENING UP A TEXT EDITOR AND TYPING OUT A ACROYNM. O.M.I.H.E.T.O.U.A.T.E.I.T.O.R Come on idiots. These guys just want attention because they suck at everything including life so they think maybe they can get the capps key removed. Developers will never pay attention to these idiots and they will just get a nice laugh.
"will you fight for caps off?" LMAO i will fight to end world hunger.. i could care less about fighting to rid of a key.. lets rid of hunger ;)
CAPS has been a key to disable rendering in After Effect, Final Cut Pro and similar programs for years. The people that create all the content for TV, films, videogames etc. wouldn't be happy to have to adjust to another key, considering all the other keyboard shortcuts have taken over nearly all the keys on the keyboard.
Here's a tip for the windows key problem... by an xbox or switch to a mac.
EVER SINCE COUNTERSTRIKE 1.5, I'VE LEARNED HOW TO TYPE ENTIRELY IN CAPITAL LETTERS, WITHOUT EVER USING CAPSLOCK!
(The game disabled the use of capslock for in-game chat, so if you ever wanted to YELL you had to hold shift. And I yelled. a lot. stupid awps...)
I just hold shift with my right pinky.
To my surprise I only saw one reference to AutoCAD in these comments - but I guess since most architects hate technology I should have figured.
CAPS LOCK is a must when producing design documents as architects have been using all caps for like 1000 years. And trust me, the won't change!
The solution is to give back the orginal spring lock to the caps key lkie the pre 1987 Macs. Another easier solution is to remap the keyboard so that you must hold down the cap lock to activate. While I haven't tried this, I believe it will work for you.
Or you could learn to properly type. : ) hehehe sorry
It sounds like most people who hate the keys don't know what they do or don't currently have a need for them. That doesn't mean others don't. There are few keys I don't at least ocassionally use, the CapLock, Windows key, Home, End. Few people probably use the PrintScreen key. I love it for doing a screen capture of the window I'm in. I won't explain in detail but if you've ever had to explain how a piece of software works it's much much easier to send someone a screencap of a window than describe it.
Hintjens is the CEO of a company. If he thinks this is such a revolutionary idea he should produce a keyboard without the keys he doesn't like, market it and if it's as groundbreaking as he seems to think everyone will adopt it, done. But whining about is just childish.
YOU REALIZE IT IS A PAIN TO HOLD SHIFT WHEN PROGRAMING? and when you are in a program that requries that key.. You guys think that the only reason the caps key is on there is to make it look like you are yelling. It is not, it has many uses even in typing itself. And holding the shift key down is not a good solution because that also activates keys second effects meaning you will be typing fast tryin to say "omg 1337" and get "OMG!##&". Only use shift for one captial letter, any more then 2 in a row use caps lock.. it will save you time even if you are a fast typer. You do realsize the pinky can type too.. unless you pick at your keys.
GET A FUCKING LIFE.. NO NEED WASTING TIME ON A KEY... WHY NOT FIGHT FOR ENDING WORLD HUNGER INSTEAD OF TRYING TO REMOVE A KEY. YOU REALIZE THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOUR PUTING INTO THIS CAN BE USED TO HELP FIGHT HUNGER...CANCER..AIDS...LUPUS..COME PEOPLE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET A FUCKING LIFE.
AND NOT THAT IS NOT YELLING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO RENDER CAPS AS BEING YELING, GET A FUCKING LIFE. THEY ARE LETTERS, AND iT dOsEnT MaTtEr iF tHeY aRe lOwEr oR uPpEr CaSe!
kthxbi
And I thought those removable stickers that say "Any Key" on them were stupid...
First they came for the Caps Lock key
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Caps Lock key.
Then they came for the Insert key
and I did not speak out
because I was not an Insert key.
Then they came for the Windows key
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Windows key.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
-Written by the Return Key
(modified from the original text of "First They Came for the Jews" by Pastor Martin Niemöller )
I disabled my capslock key a while ago using the registry... You can manually map it to another key (I think I have it mapped to a null key). Hopefully I can figure out how I did it when I get my new computer...
I seem to remember searching for 'key mapping' on the MS Knowledgebase.
Iv been ripping off my windows in insert keys for years. That insert key is useless and just gets in the way.
I use the CAPS key plenty in WoW
I like the caps lock key!
while they are at it they might as well get rid of the "F1" button (who needs help anyway?) and that windows key... people who use excel a lot will understand me!
where do i have to sign?
In all my years of typing, i've never once had an issue with the key at all. Have I hit the key on accident? Absolutely... we all have. And for the most part, it probably happens about once or twice per month-or-two. There just isn't an issue there.
If it's that big of deal, then I'd say this is what's REALLY happening....
The guy is a total loser, spends all his time watching movies and eating fried chicken dipped in ice cream. i.e. - His fat chubby fingers keep hitting all the wrong buttons. BUTTON MASH!
Of course.... being a guitar player, I naturally have skinny nimble fingers, so maybe my counter-point is slightly biased.
I just have my Caps Lock key set to make a chirp whenever I hit it. You can do this under Accessibility Options in the Control Panel. It is called Toggle Keys. Now, I know right away when I accidentally hit that key.
cant we just replace the Windows, Caps Lock and Insert keys with "Straight to Internet Porn" Keys. Heck who am i kidding i hardly ever use this keyboard.
I don't know what all the fuss is about. We can make everyone happy by just either setting the CapsLock key to work like a Shift Key or get rid of it altogether (I don't care which) and then have a software (OS?) patch which uses a double tap on the Shift (or CapsLock) key to lock it in the "other state" until a second double-tap undoes the condition. QED!
Nobody seems to mind the fact that there is a damn num-lock key occupying space in a numeric keypad which is always numeric 'cos we already have a cursor cluster. The whole purpose of the NumLock key was in the olden days when we had the XT keyboard without the arrow etc. keys. Apple has for years had an equals (=) key in place of the NumLock which is a Godsend for Excel users 'cos every darn formula requires an equals sign at the begiining of it. I have found a way to remap the key, but the point is, I shouldn't have to! Even Microsoft's mighty MS Office keyboard, which has such nice keys as extra pernthesis keys and an extra tab key, still doesn't include the equals key. Doesn't anybody at Microsoft in the keyboard design department create Excel spreadsheets?
I think the insert key is worse. It seems like a relic from type writers -- any reason to use it? I used to hit it by accident so I tore it out of my keyboard. Somehow to my chagrin it still turns on occasionally, and then I need to stick a paper clip in the socket where that little bastard used to live to get back to regular typing mode. I'm thinking the blame here goes to the boys in Redmond -- either that or I have an insert gremlin in my machine.
BTW:
Homer: [reading screen] "To Start Press Any Key". Where's the ANY key? I see Esk ["ESC"], Catarl ["CTRL"], and Pig-Up ["PGUP"]. There doesn't seem to be any ANY key. Woo! All this computer hacking is making me thirsty. I think I'll order a TAB. [presses TAB key] Awp...no time for that now, the computer's starting.
[reading screen slowly]
"Check core temperature, yes slash no."
[types] Yes. "Core temperature normal." Hmph.
Not too shabby. "Vent radioactive gas." [types] NO.
"Venting prevents explosi-on." Heeheee...whoa, this is hard. Where's my Tab? Okay, then, [types] YES, vent the stupid gas.
What about the 'F' Keys, Insert, Scroll Lock, Pause, Num Lock? Why is Home above End... why can't there be a Remove left (backspace) Remove right (delete) keys... why can't there be a white and black mouse button, and just a up or down scroll wheel... It's a Linux, Nigerian Scam Artist's, and FORTRAN user's conspiracy...
Don't get me started on the logitech 209 key keyboard that will make julian fries...
when i installed XP on my MacBook Pro i used the "remapkey.exe" tool from this Microsoft supplied package :
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&displaylang=en
i used it to make my Apple key be a CTRL key ... so that (for instance) when using XP the same "Apple"-C works to copy as in OSX and i don't have to retrain my hands between the two OS. while i was doing that i made the "fn" key be the Windows key. i remapped the 'enter' key to something else as well.
i use the Windows key for Windows-L alllll the time. easiest way to lock my screen when leaving the office for a bit.
You don't need the caps lock key for handicap accessibility, you can change the behavior of the shift key in the handicap settings so that it works the same, and it makes a lot more sense because ITS ALREADY THE SHIFT KEY WHERE IT BELONGS.
I'd love to have a ctl where my caps key is, it's always screwing me up and I could use a more accesible ctl for all my linux work.
HoW aBoUt TaKiNg AwAy ThE aBiLiTy FoR pEoPlE tO tYpE lIkE tHiS??
The main reason we don't need caps lock is that there are better ways to do the same thing, such as stylesheets. :-)
Anybody who has to make engineering drawings or any type of technical drawing would probably be writing in all caps.
To disable keys (alternate method): Forget registry hacking, just look at the picture with the article!
For a long time, I've been physically removing the Caps Lock key, Windows keys, and any other keys that happen to annoy me. You can still get to them with a narrow pencil, but you can't hit them with your finger.
IM TYPING THIS WITHOUT USING THE CAPS LOCK KEY. ITS CALLED "SHIFT". SEE? I CAN STILL BE JUST AS OBNOXIOUS.
IF THE CAPS LOCK KEY DISAPPEARS THEN I WILL FEEL THE NEED TO START CHOPPING OFF A FEW HEADS. KEEP THE BLASTED THING AND IF YOU DONT LIKE IT THEN REMAP OR DISABLE THE CAPSLOCK KEY USING KEYTWEAK.
http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick/
JUST BECASUE I DON NOT LIKE AND FIND RAP, ROCK, OR TECHNO MUSIC TO BE ANNOYING, THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT SHOULD BE BANNED OR GOTTEN RID OF.
THINGS ON THE KEYBOARD THAT SHOULD NOT BE FOOLED WITH-
1) QWERTY
2) CAPS LOCK
3) SCROLL LOCK
4) NUM LOCK
THINGS THAT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM OR CHANGED ON KEYBOARDS-
1) THAT BLASTED WINDOWS KEY ALWAYS GETS IN THE WAY OF MY PROGRAM AND INTERUPTS MY GAMES.
2) THAT BLASTED CONTEXT MENU KEY THAT COMPLENYS THE DUMB (PROPRIETARY) WINDOWS KEY
3) RUBBBER DOME BUTTONS (REPLACED WITH MECHANICAL KEY SWTICHES)
4) MULTIMEDIA BUTTONS ON WIRED KEYBOARDS (I CAN UNDERSTAND MULTIMEIDA BUTTONS ON WIRELESS KEYBOARDS FOR HTPC USE)
LETS ALL JUST GET BACK TO BASIC 101 OR 122 KEY KEYBOARDS AND GET BACK TO FOUCUSING ON QUALITY LIKE THEY USED TO DO BACK IN THE DAYS.
How about a spell check or grammar checking key - just for all engadget posters! lol
If you press and hold the numlock key on an XP machine for 8 seconds, then press "Ok" for toggle keys, your computer will beep at you when you press any of the lock keys are pressed INCLUDING caps lock. Then you'll know if you accidentally press the Caps lock key. Happy medium. I learnt this when my keyboard didn't come with the led lights to tell you which of the lock keys are on.
I rarely use the caps lock key, so I switched it with control under Linux. That's it, CTRL on the right position, easy to access, and when I need caps lock it's still there. The windows key can be useful though... short cuts like windows key + D for quickly getting on the desktop etc.
I ENJOY THE CAPS LOCK. I HAVE GREAT SEX WITH IT EVERY NIGHT.
ISN'T THAT WHAT CYBERSEX IS ALL ABOUT?
The CAPSoff website mentions lists in the keyboards that conform to the CAPSfree Quality Standard the Colemak keyboard layout. The Colemak keyboard layout converts the Caps Lock key to an extra backspace key, which makes it much more comfortable and faster to fix typing errors.
http://colemak.com/
Please, Please! PLEASE! Do not think I'm being clever! Apart from the need of some people to deal with their anger management issues in the relatively impersonal environment of the net. The biggest problem with the Caps key is the ergonomic sociopath who put the caps lock indicator diagonally opposite. I can't tell you the number of times I've looked up at the screen to see lower case titles and capped text. It never happens when I use a Mac - the light on the key is a reminder of what you're doing - and if the angry brigade want to use the caps key - let them!
At least you know where they're comng from.
If everyone with a problem went to "Key Tweak", no-one would HAVE a problem
Those of us who use computers in the business world rely heavily on the Caps Lock key. Many of our forms require all caps, and I use this key every day. Just because some don't use it isn't a practical reason to remove it. If you want it disabled, that is easily done (see how in messages above)
Holy cow my happy hacking keyboard has a CAPS LOCK! I never even noticed.... good eye!
http://www.laptopbatteryclub.com/
I totally agree with the First comment by The Guru. Goto http://capsoff.org/ and you can find humorous alternatives as one below:
"
The 'any' key, which will solve the current problem of "hitting any key to continue" (Richard Sakowski)
"
So they want users to search for "Any" key when they can press "Any Key!!". I think these sites should be listed in Top Jokes SiteLists...