6 ms·

I don't get this backlash. I'm a developer. I touch type since 20 years back. I haven't used the F-keys in probably just as long. At this point, all I do with t

• ProAm 10y ago
  As a developer you've never debugged and use the F-keys?
  • ch4s3 10y ago
    I've basically never used the F-keys. Are you using them in an IDE?
    • Eridrus 10y ago
      Most (all?) GUI debuggers either in IDEs or browser dev tools use F-keys to step through code.
      • ch4s3 10y ago
        Fair. I'm pretty click oriented in IntelliJ IDEA, and chrome devtools. I guess if I used IntelliJ more, I'd learn the F-key shortcuts, but I have an external keyboard for most typing, so I still wouldn't miss them on the laptop keyboard... and if I did, I'd just map some virtual buttons. Debugging is slow and deliberate for me, I don't need to touch type for that(personally).
  • vlozko 10y ago
    Actually, never. Most of my work is in Xcode, though I do some Android Studio, PyCharm, and, if I have to, command-line gdb. As a developer working on a Mac for almost 10 years, I genuinely can't recall the last time I ever used a function key.
  • psyc 10y ago
    I do touch type. I do use the F keys with my IDE. I do not touch type the F keys.
  • mstade 10y ago
    I have, but I mostly stopped using IDEs years ago. I use Sublime for pretty much any editing, and most of the time use tracing and look at logs to debug. I don't find stepping through execution with a debugger is my first method of choice when debugging, but when it comes to that the tools I use these days (such as gdb or the node debugger) don't use F-keys for stepping, but rather has interactive commands like `next` or `continue`, or `n` and `c` for short. I find that more useful than F9 or whatever might be the "typical" key is for "step next" – I can never remember. I've also been on a Mac for years, and to get to the "usual" F-key behavior you have to hit fn+F<n> to get to whatever you wanted to do, otherwise they are mapped to things like volume or brightness control. I can't remember the last time I hit fn+F<n>.
  • nomel 10y ago
    The F buttons aren't going away, just the physical keys are. Personally, I find the idea of a customizable, context aware, not-just-buttons, function row very interesting.
• ctrl-j 10y ago
  > I haven't used the F-keys in probably just as long. At this point, all I do with those keys is raise/lower the volume/screen brightness. This... puzzles me. Admittedly I spend most of my personal time in linux, and professional time in windows, but I never have enough keys for shortcuts. Like.. I'm up to binding ctrl-shift-* and ctrl-alt-* Is macOS not very able to be keyboard driven? Or is that personal preference?
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • jamesgeck0 10y ago
    By default, the function keys on MacBooks are bound to alternate functions; the F1/F2 keys adjust the brightness, F11/F12 volume, etc. You have to hold down the `fn` key to actually press F1, F2, etc. This makes them a bit less convenient than on Windows laptops.
    • lsaferite 10y ago
      Or you put them in default F-key mode and use Fn to do those secondary functions instead. My keyboard has F-keys that act as F-keys so I can use them while debugging and such.
    • dpark 10y ago
      That's the default on every windows laptop I've used in the past decade as well. Laptop manufacturers realized a long time ago that volume and screen brightness are more important to the average consumer.
    • favadi 10y ago
      You can inverse it though.
  • starquake 10y ago
    macOS applications use other shortcuts for things where Linux applications use function keys. For example in Chrome: Refresh Webbrowser - F5 - CMD+R Close Tab - Alt+F4 or CTRL+W - CMD+W By default most function keys don't even work as regular function keys in macOS unless you use fn+F1. They are mapped to OS related stuff like brightness, play/skip and volume.
• molloy 10y ago
  ^[ is the keyboard escape sequence for ESC, I even prefer using it on keyboards with ESC keys since it's less of a reach. It's really nice for vim and evil-mode.
  • roboguy12 10y ago
    I've had `jj` bound to ESC for several years now, and I know lots of people who use `jk` or `fj` too. Hitting `jj` is super quick and barely requires movement, but I've always hated the small delay after typing a `j` (while it listens for another `j` to complete the chord). I may have to retrain myself to use ^[ instead.
  • mstade 10y ago
    I'm thinking since the new Macs still have the fn key I might just remap that to Esc – I never use it anyway.