4 ms·

Wonder why they didn't go with Cmd+C/Cmd+V for copy&paste. As a developer, that's one of the reasons I really enjoy working on macOS. There's no chance to confu

by jkrems 10y ago

Wonder why they didn't go with Cmd+C/Cmd+V for copy&paste. As a developer, that's one of the reasons I really enjoy working on macOS. There's no chance to confuse Ctrl+C and Cmd+C - both of which are shortcuts I use frequently. P.S.: Not to mention that I appreciate using my thumb for the primary meta key instead of my little finger.

jtreminio 10y ago
In another thread on keyboards I was criticized for identifying this as an important reason for not switching to Windows. That and Karabiner is simply too good and has no real Windows alternative.
- aq3cn 10y ago
  Try AHK (Auto Hot Key). It is much more powerful than Karabiner. https://autohotkey.com/docs/misc/Remap.htm https://autohotkey.com/docs/misc/Remap.htm You know keyboard remapping can be done natively just using tweaking your Windows registry. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-caps-lock-key-in-windows-vista/ http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-caps-lo... http://www.ghacks.net/2010/06/06/the-ultimate-guide-to-keyboard-remapping/ http://www.ghacks.net/2010/06/06/the-ultimate-guide-to-keybo... Also if you want a program with gui read the following article. http://lifehacker.com/5883003/the-best-key-remapper-for-windows http://lifehacker.com/5883003/the-best-key-remapper-for-wind...
  - Flow 10y ago
    I tried to tweak my work Windows-laptop to have the sane cmd+q, cmd+w and cmd+h shortcuts. Windows feels like a mess. Sometimes it's alt+f4, sometimes it's ctrl+f4. I gave up.
    - aq3cn 10y ago
      What method did you use? Using AHK requires thorough knowledge of how keyboard work. There is already lot of keyboard remapping samples available on GitHub or on their own website, check that out. https://github.com/stroebjo/autohotkey-windows-mac-keyboard https://github.com/stroebjo/autohotkey-windows-mac-keyboard https://autohotkey.com/docs/scripts/index.htm https://autohotkey.com/docs/scripts/index.htm
    - blahi 10y ago
      No, it's always ctrl+f4 for closing the current window and alt+f4 to close the whole application.
- boterock 10y ago
  The only reason I used karabiner in macOS was for TouchCursor. But TouchCursor is originally a windows app, so when I transitioned to windows I didn't miss any of karabiner. OTOH I haven't found yet something like that for linux.
salehenrahman 10y ago
I might be wrong, but I think it has something to do with applications themselves explicitly looking for key combinations that involve the ctrl key. So no matter how much Pantheon (elementary OS' desktop environment) and elementary OS' default applications use the meta key for copying and pasting and other functions, applications themselves would have explicitly be updated to listen for meta key presses. But yes, I agree, I prefer Cmd+C/Cmd+V for copying/pasting, just that no matter how much I complain, and how much the elementary OS team could nod in agreement with us, it would take a major shift in momentum on all application vendors to prepare an entirely separate build, specifically intended to match Pantheon's idioms (favouring meta key instead of the ctrl key).
- wyager 10y ago
  > it would take a major shift in momentum on all application vendors This is probably why people like OS X. Apple can and does pull this off.
- kps 10y ago
  Before the Linux CADETs took over with goal of cloning Windows, X11 programs routinely had configurable key bindings; poke around in /etc/X11/app-defaults (or your system's equivalent) for a few stragglers. Unix workstation keyboards typically had some form of Meta key (e.g. Sun's diamond keys) because they could think a quarter step ahead and realize that screwing up established uses of Control (i.e. ASCII) was a bad idea. I think Qt / KDE is probably the best hope today. Since Qt got ported to OS X, there's an internal flag to use the GUI key for shortcuts instead of Control. If this flag were user-configurable it would solve a large part of the problem; perhaps the latest MacBook ‘Pro’ will generate enough refugees to make it happen. In the interim, KDE apps at least have individually configurable key bindings.
SyneRyder 10y ago
Totally agree. A decade ago when I was planning my switch from Windows, I tried BeOS / yellowTAB which had the Apple-like shortcuts, and it was one of my favorite things about using it. It was significantly more comfortable. (BeOS actually used Alt+C and Alt+V, but in the days of Model-M keyboards without a Windows button, Alt was very similar to Command in terms of ergonomics.)
beojan 10y ago
A lot of people remap Caps lock to ctrl, you may want to try this.
reitanqild 10y ago
Because most of the users come from other Linuxes or Windows I guess.

by jkrems 10y ago

jtreminio 10y ago

In another thread on keyboards I was criticized for identifying this as an important reason for not switching to Windows. That and Karabiner is simply too good and has no real Windows alternative.

aq3cn 10y ago
Try AHK (Auto Hot Key). It is much more powerful than Karabiner. https://autohotkey.com/docs/misc/Remap.htm https://autohotkey.com/docs/misc/Remap.htm You know keyboard remapping can be done natively just using tweaking your Windows registry. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-caps-lock-key-in-windows-vista/ http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-caps-lo... http://www.ghacks.net/2010/06/06/the-ultimate-guide-to-keyboard-remapping/ http://www.ghacks.net/2010/06/06/the-ultimate-guide-to-keybo... Also if you want a program with gui read the following article. http://lifehacker.com/5883003/the-best-key-remapper-for-windows http://lifehacker.com/5883003/the-best-key-remapper-for-wind...
- Flow 10y ago
  I tried to tweak my work Windows-laptop to have the sane cmd+q, cmd+w and cmd+h shortcuts. Windows feels like a mess. Sometimes it's alt+f4, sometimes it's ctrl+f4. I gave up.
  - aq3cn 10y ago
    What method did you use? Using AHK requires thorough knowledge of how keyboard work. There is already lot of keyboard remapping samples available on GitHub or on their own website, check that out. https://github.com/stroebjo/autohotkey-windows-mac-keyboard https://github.com/stroebjo/autohotkey-windows-mac-keyboard https://autohotkey.com/docs/scripts/index.htm https://autohotkey.com/docs/scripts/index.htm
  - blahi 10y ago
    No, it's always ctrl+f4 for closing the current window and alt+f4 to close the whole application.
boterock 10y ago
The only reason I used karabiner in macOS was for TouchCursor. But TouchCursor is originally a windows app, so when I transitioned to windows I didn't miss any of karabiner. OTOH I haven't found yet something like that for linux.

salehenrahman 10y ago

I might be wrong, but I think it has something to do with applications themselves explicitly looking for key combinations that involve the ctrl key. So no matter how much Pantheon (elementary OS' desktop environment) and elementary OS' default applications use the meta key for copying and pasting and other functions, applications themselves would have explicitly be updated to listen for meta key presses. But yes, I agree, I prefer Cmd+C/Cmd+V for copying/pasting, just that no matter how much I complain, and how much the elementary OS team could nod in agreement with us, it would take a major shift in momentum on all application vendors to prepare an entirely separate build, specifically intended to match Pantheon's idioms (favouring meta key instead of the ctrl key).

wyager 10y ago
> it would take a major shift in momentum on all application vendors This is probably why people like OS X. Apple can and does pull this off.
kps 10y ago
Before the Linux CADETs took over with goal of cloning Windows, X11 programs routinely had configurable key bindings; poke around in /etc/X11/app-defaults (or your system's equivalent) for a few stragglers. Unix workstation keyboards typically had some form of Meta key (e.g. Sun's diamond keys) because they could think a quarter step ahead and realize that screwing up established uses of Control (i.e. ASCII) was a bad idea. I think Qt / KDE is probably the best hope today. Since Qt got ported to OS X, there's an internal flag to use the GUI key for shortcuts instead of Control. If this flag were user-configurable it would solve a large part of the problem; perhaps the latest MacBook ‘Pro’ will generate enough refugees to make it happen. In the interim, KDE apps at least have individually configurable key bindings.

SyneRyder 10y ago

Totally agree. A decade ago when I was planning my switch from Windows, I tried BeOS / yellowTAB which had the Apple-like shortcuts, and it was one of my favorite things about using it. It was significantly more comfortable. (BeOS actually used Alt+C and Alt+V, but in the days of Model-M keyboards without a Windows button, Alt was very similar to Command in terms of ergonomics.)

beojan 10y ago

A lot of people remap Caps lock to ctrl, you may want to try this.

reitanqild 10y ago

Because most of the users come from other Linuxes or Windows I guess.