8 ms·

This should really be solved in software... However, I remember trying to map capslock to control on windows a few years back. It involved becoming an administ

by jabot 9y ago

This should really be solved in software... However, I remember trying to map capslock to control on windows a few years back. It involved becoming an administrator and entering an opaque hexadecimal key into the registry. Simply popping off the key is probably easier. Oh, on linux it boils down to "setxkbmap -option ctrl:nocaps", which doesn't require root...

Lorkki 9y ago
An official keymap editor exists for Windows, but it's not terribly well supported, and I can see how using it would be a hassle especially if you're not technically inclined: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/custom-keyboard-layout-with-windows-10/b71c7905-1e30-4b0c-861b-253efd2b5a9e https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10...
- jabot 9y ago
  I did not know that tool. Also, apparently it cannot map control keys... https://superuser.com/questions/413384/how-to-remap-control-keys-in-ms-layout-creator https://superuser.com/questions/413384/how-to-remap-control-...
slezyr 9y ago
Or even better solution: programmable keyboards. It's sad that just few keyboards have opensource firmware and allow to remap keys. One of them Ergodox EZ ~$350 https://ergodox-ez.com/ https://ergodox-ez.com/
- jabot 9y ago
  I have an atreus keyboard, and I have changed the layout :-) However, 350$ seems like a lot of money for a problem that should really be solvable at no cost in software...
  - slezyr 9y ago
    The biggest problem with software (on OS side) is than you can't use your custom layout in BIOS, LiveCDs or when you need to type password if your hardware is encrypted. Another problem is games. I use dvorak and all games use qwerty bindings so you need either to remap keys for each game or start game with QWERTY layout. If you forgot to start it with qwerty you need to restart the game, which is was really frustrating for me. It's even more problematical with online games like League of legends and etc. I see no problem for this feature to be present on even cheapest keyboards. I picked ergodox just for an examle.
    - jabot 9y ago
      Fair point. In the context of the article we're talking about a highly specialized office environment, where bios/live boot environments etc. do not happen often. There, a software solution is useful and cheap. In the more general case, and for those people that do not mind carrying their own keyboard everywhere, you are right. Especially since a keyboard that expensive probably lasts for a long enough time...
- mannykannot 9y ago
  In at least one finance company I know of, alternative keyboards are not permitted without getting security's permission. They might not do a very thorough examination, but I can imagine they might disallow a programmable keyboard on the basis of it being too complex to analyze the risks.
cooper12 9y ago
On MacOS it Just Works (at least for modifier keys) :) https://i.imgur.com/Bt1X7Nq.png https://i.imgur.com/Bt1X7Nq.png
SwellJoe 9y ago
On Linux with Gnome you can use Tweak Tool. It's under Typing->Caps Lock Behavior.
dmitriid 9y ago
> This should really be solved in software And this software is called "Excel". This should really be solved in software called "Excel". As in: remove functionality from F1
- woodrowbarlow 9y ago
  the problem cited in the article is performance. a "help" dialog shouldn't take several seconds to open, it shouldn't take foreground control, and you shouldn't have to wait for it to finish opening in order to close it. and you definitely shouldn't have to move your hand to the mouse to close something that was opened by an accidental keystroke. if the view doesn't get obstructed and you could simply tap F1 a second time (or Esc) and instantly be back to what you were doing, i think the UX problem would be solved. in firefox, i sometimes hit F12 on accident -- but i can just tap it again to close the dev tools, even if it hasn't finished loading. that's decent UX.
  - dmitriid 9y ago
    No.. The problem cited in the article is: a common operation that is invoked hundreds of times a day is bound to F2. An uncommon operation that breaks the user's flow is bound to F1. Users keep hitting F1 by accident. The only proper and decent UX in this case is to remove the source of the error. You do that by removing the binding of F1
    - woodrowbarlow 9y ago
      > that breaks the user's flow this is the problem. and it breaks the user's flow because it obscures the work area and can't be instantly dismissed. there's nothing wrong with putting relatively uncommon actions next to common actions on the keyboard as long as the actions don't break the user's flow.
      - dmitriid 9y ago
        > as long as the actions don't break the user's flow. This. Yet you propose to keep the action that breaks the user flow even if it's often triggered by mistake ;) I propose to remove the action that breaks the user flow.
yread 9y ago
You could setup an AutoHotkey to "silence" it https://superuser.com/questions/291018/consume-keystroke-in-autohotkey-dont-let-it-propagate-to-other-apps https://superuser.com/questions/291018/consume-keystroke-in-...
LambdaComplex 9y ago
My keyboard (Ducky Shine 3) actually has a dip switch on the back that swaps capslock and control. Not sure if any other companies do that though
- joejev 9y ago
  Filco also has this.
WorldMaker 9y ago
SharpKeys [1] is the tool I've kept in my toolbelt to do this for several years now. (Though I swap capslock for an extra backspace or escape depending on mood and amount of Vim in my life at the time.) [1] https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys

by jabot 9y ago

Lorkki 9y ago

An official keymap editor exists for Windows, but it's not terribly well supported, and I can see how using it would be a hassle especially if you're not technically inclined: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/custom-keyboard-layout-with-windows-10/b71c7905-1e30-4b0c-861b-253efd2b5a9e https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10...

jabot 9y ago
I did not know that tool. Also, apparently it cannot map control keys... https://superuser.com/questions/413384/how-to-remap-control-keys-in-ms-layout-creator https://superuser.com/questions/413384/how-to-remap-control-...

slezyr 9y ago

Or even better solution: programmable keyboards. It's sad that just few keyboards have opensource firmware and allow to remap keys. One of them Ergodox EZ ~$350 https://ergodox-ez.com/ https://ergodox-ez.com/

jabot 9y ago
I have an atreus keyboard, and I have changed the layout :-) However, 350$ seems like a lot of money for a problem that should really be solvable at no cost in software...
- slezyr 9y ago
  The biggest problem with software (on OS side) is than you can't use your custom layout in BIOS, LiveCDs or when you need to type password if your hardware is encrypted. Another problem is games. I use dvorak and all games use qwerty bindings so you need either to remap keys for each game or start game with QWERTY layout. If you forgot to start it with qwerty you need to restart the game, which is was really frustrating for me. It's even more problematical with online games like League of legends and etc. I see no problem for this feature to be present on even cheapest keyboards. I picked ergodox just for an examle.
  - jabot 9y ago
    Fair point. In the context of the article we're talking about a highly specialized office environment, where bios/live boot environments etc. do not happen often. There, a software solution is useful and cheap. In the more general case, and for those people that do not mind carrying their own keyboard everywhere, you are right. Especially since a keyboard that expensive probably lasts for a long enough time...
mannykannot 9y ago
In at least one finance company I know of, alternative keyboards are not permitted without getting security's permission. They might not do a very thorough examination, but I can imagine they might disallow a programmable keyboard on the basis of it being too complex to analyze the risks.

cooper12 9y ago

On MacOS it Just Works (at least for modifier keys) :) https://i.imgur.com/Bt1X7Nq.png https://i.imgur.com/Bt1X7Nq.png

SwellJoe 9y ago

On Linux with Gnome you can use Tweak Tool. It's under Typing->Caps Lock Behavior.

dmitriid 9y ago

> This should really be solved in software And this software is called "Excel". This should really be solved in software called "Excel". As in: remove functionality from F1

woodrowbarlow 9y ago
the problem cited in the article is performance. a "help" dialog shouldn't take several seconds to open, it shouldn't take foreground control, and you shouldn't have to wait for it to finish opening in order to close it. and you definitely shouldn't have to move your hand to the mouse to close something that was opened by an accidental keystroke. if the view doesn't get obstructed and you could simply tap F1 a second time (or Esc) and instantly be back to what you were doing, i think the UX problem would be solved. in firefox, i sometimes hit F12 on accident -- but i can just tap it again to close the dev tools, even if it hasn't finished loading. that's decent UX.
- dmitriid 9y ago
  No.. The problem cited in the article is: a common operation that is invoked hundreds of times a day is bound to F2. An uncommon operation that breaks the user's flow is bound to F1. Users keep hitting F1 by accident. The only proper and decent UX in this case is to remove the source of the error. You do that by removing the binding of F1
  - woodrowbarlow 9y ago
    > that breaks the user's flow this is the problem. and it breaks the user's flow because it obscures the work area and can't be instantly dismissed. there's nothing wrong with putting relatively uncommon actions next to common actions on the keyboard as long as the actions don't break the user's flow.
    - dmitriid 9y ago
      > as long as the actions don't break the user's flow. This. Yet you propose to keep the action that breaks the user flow even if it's often triggered by mistake ;) I propose to remove the action that breaks the user flow.

yread 9y ago

You could setup an AutoHotkey to "silence" it https://superuser.com/questions/291018/consume-keystroke-in-autohotkey-dont-let-it-propagate-to-other-apps https://superuser.com/questions/291018/consume-keystroke-in-...

LambdaComplex 9y ago

My keyboard (Ducky Shine 3) actually has a dip switch on the back that swaps capslock and control. Not sure if any other companies do that though

joejev 9y ago
Filco also has this.

WorldMaker 9y ago

SharpKeys [1] is the tool I've kept in my toolbelt to do this for several years now. (Though I swap capslock for an extra backspace or escape depending on mood and amount of Vim in my life at the time.) [1] https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys