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Unpopular opinion: we shouldn't use F-keys at all except for old software like Midnight Commander. Alphanumeric shortcuts and Key Sequences should be used ins

by ris58h 4y ago

Unpopular opinion: we shouldn't use F-keys at all except for old software like Midnight Commander. Alphanumeric shortcuts and Key Sequences should be used instead. http://xahlee.info/kbd/banish_key_chords.html http://xahlee.info/kbd/banish_key_chords.html

wkat4242 4y ago
I totally disagree. I think direct shortcut keys without difficult to remember combinations are much preferable to me. And also much handier (e.g. when drinking something you can press a single button with the other hand). For this reason I also use the big old 100% keyboards with numpads, and I remap the entire numpad to other functions such as a 3x3 desktop switcher. For me there can't be enough dedicated keys. By the way the link you are quoting actually advocates using single keys as the ideal option :) It literally says the following: > of these, in terms of efficiency and hand health (Repetitive Strain Injury), the single key is the best. Key sequence of single keys is second best. Key chord is the worst. I suffer from RSI also which is another reason to prefer this. However it is really a matter of preference of course. Some people love their 60% keyboards and that's ok too. Just won't work for me. But what I disagree with is the "should be used" part. Nobody should tell me what to prefer :) This is one of the reasons I switched away from Apple. They are very strong in their opinions (to the point of actually building opinionated software).
- ris58h 4y ago
  Dedicated keys (F-keys or numpad keys) are harder to reach from homerow. There is limited number of such keys and usually that number is less then number of available functions/commands so not-enough-keys problem persists.
  - wkat4242 4y ago
    True but at least 10 (or more on many keyboards!) important functions can be reached without hand gymnastics. Frequent used functions like copy/paste should always have had dedicated keys for example. And the home row thing is not something I care about. I don't type so much that it really matters. But anyway like I said these things are really about preference.

by ris58h 4y ago

wkat4242 4y ago

I totally disagree. I think direct shortcut keys without difficult to remember combinations are much preferable to me. And also much handier (e.g. when drinking something you can press a single button with the other hand). For this reason I also use the big old 100% keyboards with numpads, and I remap the entire numpad to other functions such as a 3x3 desktop switcher. For me there can't be enough dedicated keys. By the way the link you are quoting actually advocates using single keys as the ideal option :) It literally says the following: > of these, in terms of efficiency and hand health (Repetitive Strain Injury), the single key is the best. Key sequence of single keys is second best. Key chord is the worst. I suffer from RSI also which is another reason to prefer this. However it is really a matter of preference of course. Some people love their 60% keyboards and that's ok too. Just won't work for me. But what I disagree with is the "should be used" part. Nobody should tell me what to prefer :) This is one of the reasons I switched away from Apple. They are very strong in their opinions (to the point of actually building opinionated software).

ris58h 4y ago
Dedicated keys (F-keys or numpad keys) are harder to reach from homerow. There is limited number of such keys and usually that number is less then number of available functions/commands so not-enough-keys problem persists.
- wkat4242 4y ago
  True but at least 10 (or more on many keyboards!) important functions can be reached without hand gymnastics. Frequent used functions like copy/paste should always have had dedicated keys for example. And the home row thing is not something I care about. I don't type so much that it really matters. But anyway like I said these things are really about preference.