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?
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Slashdot]
posted August 17th 2006 3:27AM
Thats the best idea ever! I can't stand when ignorant people (typically kids on mmo's) consistantly type in caps. It's re-god-damn-diculous!!!
With the disdain for lawyers being at its sustained peak, I'm almost hesitant to note that every document filed in every federal court across the country and in most state courts requires a legal secretary to type an extensive heading in all caps, making the caps lock invaluable in this sector. I know, I know: "Old Willie was right, let's kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight..." (Don Henley, "Get Over It")
BAN THE CAPS LOCK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(oh i used shift not caps lock key 2 do this)
oh Mac rules
There is a disable key tool "autowin disable key" can disable any key on your keyboard,can download from here
http://www.autowinsoftware.com/products/disable-key
Another consideration the campaigner is not aware of is lack of many other useful keys, such as keyboard layout shift (e.g. latinics to cyrillics), and remapped CapsLock is most useful for this function, as it lights the LED to remember the layout.
I'd be happy if it wasn't the most sensitive key on the keyboard *sarcasm*. I can't count how many times I've gone for the "A" key and brushed the "caps lock".
I am actually against removing the Caps Lock key from the keyboard, as writing in all caps is actually a necessity when programming for CNC machinery. The FANUC controllers that run a good chunk of the CNC machines differentiate between, say, a 'M6', the command to change the tool in the spindle with the tool presently in the the magazine, and 'm6', which I am too scared to test to see what it will do the to machine.
I'm missing something here. Even if the caps lock key is worthless (which I don't agree with) and takes up space, what are they proposing we use that space for instead? What is so crucial that it absolutley cannot be placed within reach because the caps lock key exists? Besides, anyone who knows how to type properly would have a difficult time on those occasions when they need to use all caps like typing RAZR for instance. It is rather difficult and halting to hold down shift with your pinky while trying to type.
thats bull!
I'm a graphic designer and I use caps lock all the time when typesetting large titles or signs or whatever. I don't want to hold shift all the damn time
The Caps Lock key is used heavily in the drafting profession. It would be extremely annoying if it were absent for us CAD monkeys.
I don't think we should get rid of it just yet. As a member of an accounting firm, we use caps-lock quite a bit when inputting information to someone's tax returns. You move our precious Caps-Lock and we will come for you :)
THE CAPS LOCK KEY IS MY ONLY DEFENSE AGAINST SUCH PEOPLE! DON'T LET THEM DISARM US, AND QUIET OUR VOICE!
I find nothing more anoying than someone who WRITES ENTIERLY IN CAPS. You only need caps at the start of the sentance, and thats what the shift key is for.
windows, linux and mac osx all have ways of remapping keys. i think the point is more that the caps key takes up valuable space. i've heard people say "do away with the windows key" but i, for one, use it. namely win+r brings up the windows run dialog and win+d bring up the desktop (minimizes all windows). i used to pop off the windows key till i found this software that allows for easy remapping of keys in windows:
http://www.randyrants.com/sharpkeys/
you can map caps to be a third shift key, for example.
Why don't we just move it to the bottom of the keyboard, so it is a pain in the arse to use, but it is still available? :)
I voted with my $$$ and bought Northgate OmniKey 101 keyboards way back, and recently got a couple more by Avant (making clones, since Northgate is long since history). Though it would be nice to have a quieter keyboard...
in the spirit of making the caps lock key safer for the technologically incompetent, i also propose that the physical key be modified as follows:
Just pried mine off -
I work in the engineering / design industry and we do all of our text in capital letters. I use the key all day every day.
Okay, honestly... you guys are ignorant and cannot read, if you read the whole article before posting, you would see that they propose keeping the caps lock key next to the scroll lock button. I personally never use the caps lock key except in the cases where my fingers misses the "A" button.
Whoh! Slow down there Engadget!
There are still cases where we need caps lock!
Don't believe me? What about those times when you remote into another machine and they have capslock on but you don't? There is nothing more annoying and it's an absolute given to be able to press your own caps-lock key and save you pulling your hair out!
Sure if we removed all cap-lock keys that would work, but there is always going to be a few non-conformists!
Save capslock!
I say we keep the caps lock key but get rid of scroll lock or pause/break and the windows key should be replaced with a ctrl+alt+del key rolled into one ya baby that would be the shit.
Lets face it people if you have windows you use it alot.
You know what needs to go, the damn scroll lock key. honestly, WTF does it do?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scroll_lock
well thats what it does. GET RID OF IT!
for you caps lock junkies out there you may like this
[IMG]http://www.jinx.com/images/products/629bgNavy.jpg[/IMG]
th3 v0w3ls c4n b3 r3m0v3d t00.
NOOOOO DON'T BAN THE CAPS YOU *-*****!!!
damn without the caps i wouldn't be able to easily type registration codes..
that would be hella ******up when reinstalling a pc
Ha, luckily for me, Mac keyboards don't have an insert key!
But then again, I don't have LED's for Num lock, and therte is no Scroll Lock
CAPS LOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PL/SQL programmers won't like this. :-)
On Linux and OSX you can disable / remap the caps lock key. For Windows, there is a freeware called CapsUnlock that disables both CapsLock and Insert keys, and for the ones who really need, it also can make CapsLock only work with Shift+CapsLock.
i use it to toggle running in fps's and besides if i were to write the the envelope of a letter i would need the capslock key unless i wanted to hold shift the whole time and let go when ever i had to put a number down.
Get over it, it is a fuckin key. Its not that big of a deal. If it gets in your way then you probably are a sloppy typist.
BUT T3H C@PS10CK IZ CR00Z C0NTR0|_ 4 C00|_ !!11one!!1eleven!!!Shift+1!!