10 ms·
Remapping the non-locking caps lock to control is a no brainer - and if you train yourself to use control-[ to get ESC, then you don’t have to leave the home ro
by notbeuller 3y ago
Remapping the non-locking caps lock to control is a no brainer - and if you train yourself to use control-[ to get ESC, then you don’t have to leave the home row. (us keyboard - not sure how that works out in other locales, but caps lock should be eliminated everywhere. Or at least require turning two simultaneous icbm style launch keys to engage.)
- tincholio 3y agoI've been using the CAPS LOCK as both Control (on hold) and Escape (tap) for years now, and it's just wonderful. I even kept a similar setup when I built my Dactyl Manuform (one of the large thumb keys is both Control and Escape).
- grimborg 3y agoI did something similar, but I mapped it (on hold) to cmd + control + option + shift so it effectively becomes a new modifier key that I use to define shortcuts that will never clash with any existing shortcuts. I use it to launch / switch to specific apps, move windows, etc.
- lylejantzi3rd 3y agoIf I were ever to design a keyboard with a thumb cluster, I would separate out ctrl and esc to separate keys. When typing quickly, I occasionally get an esc when I wanted ctrl. I've tried fiddling with the delays, but I've never gotten it to work quite right 100% of the time. I suspect my timing (how long I hold the caps lock button) varies depending on what I'm doing and how fast I'm typing.
- Woeps 3y agoOh my.... I never thought of this. but then again, I use the side of my palm for holding control.
- EsportToys 3y agoWith the TPMouse script, I implemented the activation shortcut as [LShift][RShift][C (trackball mode) / G (grid mode) / Q (quit)], which I felt had a nice balance between deliberateness and easy-to-reach (since you are using it with your hands on homerow). Though because some keyboards have key rollover issues with using both Shifts, [Capslock][<modekey>] is also allowed as an alternative activation shortcut. [0] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
- rgoulter 3y ago> caps lock should be eliminated everywhere Caps Lock can be a useful feature. e.g. developers may want to type CONSTANTS_LIKE_THIS; and it's useful to be able to have a "shifted mode" which avoids the need for either alternating shift keys, or holding shift key with a pinky finger. I saw a feature "Caps Word", which automatically returns to the unshifted state as soon as a non-letter key (like space) was pressed. That seems a good idea. That said, yeah, Caps Lock isn't so useful that it's worth putting where it is on typical keyboards.
- orthoxerox 3y agoYou still need to press Shift to type the underscores, unless the editor is smart enough to recognize you're in CONSTANT_TYPING_MODE.
- rgoulter 3y agoWith CapsLock? Yeah. Though, with using fancy keyboard-remapping software, then "dashes as underscores" can be done automatically. e.g. QMK does it with: https://docs.qmk.fm/#/feature_caps_word https://docs.qmk.fm/#/feature_caps_word
- bbor 3y agoShoutout to vim - select the text then shift+U. Especially nice cause you can use multi select to do it in many places at once. I bet eMacs can’t do that ;)
- ngai_aku 3y agoCareful now —- probably even easier with emacs! https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Case.html https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Ca... (Though I use emacs with vim keybindings — evil mode — so I do the same as you)
- bbor 3y agoVery glad you responded kindly, I realized after I posted that that the sarcasm might not be clear. I feel like we’re two soldiers from some long forgotten war, finally shaking hands… ;)
- l-p 3y ago> caps lock should be eliminated everywhere Caps Lock is a necessary feature. I need my ÉÈÀÇ and I never could get a compose key working in all inputs, Caps Lock is the only reasonable alternative.
- teroshan 3y agoIf you're in need of AZERTY-specific keys and you're on a QWERTY layout, take a look at https://github.com/qwerty-fr/qwerty-fr https://github.com/qwerty-fr/qwerty-fr. It's a strict superset of QWERTY, and it enables entering e.g. è and È with altgr+e and shift+altgr+e respectively.
- piaste 3y agoUS-intl can do that just fine, though some people can't stand dead keys.
- Symbiote 3y agoWhether dead keys are acceptable or not depends heavily on how frequent they are in the language. The Danish keyboard layout has ¨, ^, ´ and ` on dead keys — those are used in foreign names and a few loanwords — but Æ, Ø, Å are real keys. Having Å, Ø and Æ as dead keys would make as much sense as having V, K and J as dead keys in English.
- piaste 3y agoI use it to type in Danish and Italian, as it happens (plus Swedish and French every now and then). Æ, Ø, Å aren't dead keys, they're available via AltGr + Z, L, and W respectively. However, Italian and French accented letters (as well as Swedish/German Ä/Ö) are available via either AltGr or dead keys - and I find myself almost always using dead keys, perhaps because they are more "logical" so I learned them faster. And of course, typing any kind of quote is a dead key in every language (quote followed by spacebar). By now, after so many years, dead keys are well in muscle memory so they feel barely any slower to type than regular two-key combos (like uppercase letters).
- awesome_dude 3y ago> caps lock should be eliminated everywhere BUT HOW CAN I ARGUE ON THE INTERNET WITHOUT IT????????
- bbor 3y agoI find it honestly hilarious that “don’t use caps lock for emphasis” is one of the otherwise very-abstract Hacker News Guidelines. A relic from the great flame wars of the past, I think…
- thomastjeffery 3y agoPut the shift key where it belongs: under your thumb.
- bjoli 3y agoI know it is a joke, but: In Linux it is easy make pressing both shifts into capslock.
- destructionator 3y agoCaps lock is great when you are typing one-handed.
- ricardobeat 3y agoNot a pianist, but I also don't get the obession with the home row. I can snipe the ESC key with my left ring finger faster than pressing that key combo. My wrist barely moves for that action, and I haven't had RSI yet after 20 years. I do play the guitar though so maybe that gives me some extra dexterity?
- koprulusector 3y agoI don’t use <CTRL> very often, if I think about it, maybe to open and close tabs in a browser or something. But I really liked “tap caps locks for <ESC>, hold for <CTRL>.”
- vaccarium 3y agoCaps Lock makes for a wonderful layout switcher key.
- throw10920 3y agoinoremap jk <esc> is even more optimal - it's extremely easy to type (in QWERTY, it's under the two strongest fingers you own aside from your thumbs), very fast, and minimally invasive (unless you frequently type the string "jk").