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Macbooks don't have a row of "function keys" though. They have a row of keys that do very specific things in the OS: * Adjust screen brightness (x2) * Adjust

Macbooks don't have a row of "function keys" though. They have a row of keys that do very specific things in the OS: * Adjust screen brightness (x2) * Adjust volume and mute (x3) * Adjust keyboard brightness (x2) * Power button (x1) * Play/pause and next/previous (x3) * Rearrange the desktop windows (x2) So, if you launch an app that uses the touch bar, will you lose the ability to adjust the brightness and volume?

glhaynes 10y ago
No, a portion of the bar (the "Control Strip") is always reserved for system stuff and can be expanded to full width with a tap.
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tdb7893 10y ago
The only one of those I use regularly is volume. As long as they have an easy way to change volume I think the touchbar is a good thing
DashRattlesnake 10y ago
> Macbooks don't have a row of "function keys" though. They have a row of keys that do very specific things in the OS If you look closely, those keys have things like "F1", "F2", etc. written on them. They're function keys.
- redbeard0x0a 10y ago
  They are actually 2 modes (you switch between the OS keys and the Fx keys by pressing the fn key). There is also an OS setting to switch which mode is enabled by-default (without pressing the fn key).
  - jimbokun 10y ago
    Right, so TouchBar increases the number of possible modes to basically infinity. Isn't there already a way to make the TouchBar just render the function keys?
    - Jtsummers 10y ago
      Yes. Now the Touch Bar will (by default) display the function keys when the `fn` key is pressed, and display the current set of functionality per the application otherwise. There is, per the presentation and reports, an OS setting that allows you to switch which is the default.
cauterized 10y ago
One of the first things I do on a new Mac is to toggle the preference that lets you use the function keys and function keys and the "fn" modifier to coerce them to do things like volume control. Macs (until now) absolutely do have function keys for anyone who wants them.
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glhaynes 10y ago

No, a portion of the bar (the "Control Strip") is always reserved for system stuff and can be expanded to full width with a tap.

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tdb7893 10y ago

The only one of those I use regularly is volume. As long as they have an easy way to change volume I think the touchbar is a good thing

DashRattlesnake 10y ago

> Macbooks don't have a row of "function keys" though. They have a row of keys that do very specific things in the OS If you look closely, those keys have things like "F1", "F2", etc. written on them. They're function keys.

redbeard0x0a 10y ago
They are actually 2 modes (you switch between the OS keys and the Fx keys by pressing the fn key). There is also an OS setting to switch which mode is enabled by-default (without pressing the fn key).
- jimbokun 10y ago
  Right, so TouchBar increases the number of possible modes to basically infinity. Isn't there already a way to make the TouchBar just render the function keys?
  - Jtsummers 10y ago
    Yes. Now the Touch Bar will (by default) display the function keys when the `fn` key is pressed, and display the current set of functionality per the application otherwise. There is, per the presentation and reports, an OS setting that allows you to switch which is the default.

cauterized 10y ago

One of the first things I do on a new Mac is to toggle the preference that lets you use the function keys and function keys and the "fn" modifier to coerce them to do things like volume control. Macs (until now) absolutely do have function keys for anyone who wants them.

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