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Do people usually use "Alt" to describe the Option key on Macs? I was really confused for a second trying to find it on my Macbook
by akiselev 7y ago
Do people usually use "Alt" to describe the Option key on Macs? I was really confused for a second trying to find it on my Macbook
- OJFord 7y agoYes. Anyone that hasn't been exclusively using macOS for their entire digital life, or at least years, anyway. 'Command' (resp. 'Windows', resp. 'Super') is a different story. You can't say 'Super' with a straight face without also marking yourself out as someone who borders on saying 'GNU with Linux', or 'I run Arch'. (For what it's worth, I do run Arch. ;)) IIRC Option is dually labelled as Alt on some Apple keyboards anyway.
- franga2000 7y ago> You can't say 'Super' with a straight face without also marking yourself out as someone who borders on saying 'GNU with Linux', or 'I run Arch'. Since basically nobody knows the historical difference these days, I just call it the Meta key to avoid the above situation. When non-techy people ask me what the hell I mean, I just explain that's the technical term for the key and that I use it so both Mac and Windows people understand me. I've even heard one of them start using the term themselves, presumably to appear smarter in front of their boss.
- Zarel 7y agoWhile it's not wrong to refer to the Super key as "Meta", I don't like calling it that, because in some contexts (like emacs), "Meta" means the Alt key.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- vangelis 7y agoI use a USB mechanical keyboard with my Mac, Ubuntu at home, so I tend to think of command and option as super and alt.