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"⌘" is for menu commands. "option" is a modifier. "control" was originally introduced for contextual menu ("right click"), and also provides EMACS-like shortcut

"⌘" is for menu commands. "option" is a modifier. "control" was originally introduced for contextual menu ("right click"), and also provides EMACS-like shortcuts (Ctrl+A = Home, Ctrl+E = End, etc.). So in fact, it is simpler because you don't have Home/End/PageUp/PageDown/Insert/Delete keys. It also avoids overloading the same key with commands and editing shortcuts.

lostlogin 14y ago
It may be simpler, but it isn't very Apple like. When you consider the enthusiasm Apple has for removing every button it can, it does seem odd.
- nairteashop 14y ago
  Exactly, it just seems out of place for Apple. During my Windows days, I had never wondered why there were so many keyboard buttons - my MS Intellimouse had 5 buttons all on its own :)
- __david__ 14y ago
  I think it makes sense. Those keys are for complicated tasks and they're entirely optional. Normal computer users don't ever need to touch those keys—You don't need Command-Left to go to the end of the line when you can just move the mouse and click there. The modifiers are there for you once you've mastered the simple way and want to improve your speed.
nairteashop 14y ago
Perhaps. I really think that the alt/option and control keys can be merged though. In many cases, control is actually used as a modifier. For example, ⌘ + ⇧ + 3 takes a screenshot and saves it on the desktop. What if you wanted to save it to the clipboard instead? You hold down the Control key, not the Option key, which to me would've been the logical choice here. BTW I fully realize that it is probably too late to remove any modifiers, but one can always hope :)
laureny 14y ago
> So in fact, it is simpler because you don't have Home/End/PageUp/PageDown/Insert/Delete keys. It's not simple: it has fewer keys, but that makes it more complex not less, and more prone to causing carpal tunnel syndrome (Command-shift-right arrow to select till the end of the line? Are you kidding me?). Actually, I purposely lied. It's Ctrl-shift-right arrow for end of line, and Command to go to the end of the file. Like I said, not simpler
- __david__ 14y ago
  > Actually, I purposely lied. It's Ctrl-shift-right arrow for end of line, and Command to go to the end of the file. No, Shift-Command-Left/Right selects to the beginning/end of line respectively. It's been that way since at least System 6. So has using option-arrows for moving by words. I don't know what control does—I don't think it's standard. I think you might be thinking of Command-Up/Down which go to start/end of file respectively. And I frankly don't find Command-shift-arrows hard to chord at all (pinky on shift, thumb on command). I've been doing it for 20+ years and don't have any carpal tunnel problems. Or course, I'm also a long-time Emacs user so I'm used to things like C-M-s.
majormajor 14y ago
You do have Home/End/PageUp/PageDown/Delete on a Mac. Apple just hides the labels these days on their laptop keyboards. The full-size ones have them. And they don't always do the same thing they do on Windows/Linux (I'm looking at you, Home/End!). And they're overloaded to hell and back on the laptops: delete as backspace/fn-delete as delete, Cmd-up/down arrow + Fn-up/down arrow... Pretty sure there isn't an Insert, though.
- __david__ 14y ago
  > Pretty sure there isn't an Insert, though. Ugh, talk about a worthless key. I used to physically remove that key on my full sized keyboards when I used OSes that respected it.

lostlogin 14y ago

It may be simpler, but it isn't very Apple like. When you consider the enthusiasm Apple has for removing every button it can, it does seem odd.

nairteashop 14y ago
Exactly, it just seems out of place for Apple. During my Windows days, I had never wondered why there were so many keyboard buttons - my MS Intellimouse had 5 buttons all on its own :)
__david__ 14y ago
I think it makes sense. Those keys are for complicated tasks and they're entirely optional. Normal computer users don't ever need to touch those keys—You don't need Command-Left to go to the end of the line when you can just move the mouse and click there. The modifiers are there for you once you've mastered the simple way and want to improve your speed.

nairteashop 14y ago

Perhaps. I really think that the alt/option and control keys can be merged though. In many cases, control is actually used as a modifier. For example, ⌘ + ⇧ + 3 takes a screenshot and saves it on the desktop. What if you wanted to save it to the clipboard instead? You hold down the Control key, not the Option key, which to me would've been the logical choice here. BTW I fully realize that it is probably too late to remove any modifiers, but one can always hope :)

laureny 14y ago

> So in fact, it is simpler because you don't have Home/End/PageUp/PageDown/Insert/Delete keys. It's not simple: it has fewer keys, but that makes it more complex not less, and more prone to causing carpal tunnel syndrome (Command-shift-right arrow to select till the end of the line? Are you kidding me?). Actually, I purposely lied. It's Ctrl-shift-right arrow for end of line, and Command to go to the end of the file. Like I said, not simpler

__david__ 14y ago
> Actually, I purposely lied. It's Ctrl-shift-right arrow for end of line, and Command to go to the end of the file. No, Shift-Command-Left/Right selects to the beginning/end of line respectively. It's been that way since at least System 6. So has using option-arrows for moving by words. I don't know what control does—I don't think it's standard. I think you might be thinking of Command-Up/Down which go to start/end of file respectively. And I frankly don't find Command-shift-arrows hard to chord at all (pinky on shift, thumb on command). I've been doing it for 20+ years and don't have any carpal tunnel problems. Or course, I'm also a long-time Emacs user so I'm used to things like C-M-s.

majormajor 14y ago

You do have Home/End/PageUp/PageDown/Delete on a Mac. Apple just hides the labels these days on their laptop keyboards. The full-size ones have them. And they don't always do the same thing they do on Windows/Linux (I'm looking at you, Home/End!). And they're overloaded to hell and back on the laptops: delete as backspace/fn-delete as delete, Cmd-up/down arrow + Fn-up/down arrow... Pretty sure there isn't an Insert, though.

__david__ 14y ago
> Pretty sure there isn't an Insert, though. Ugh, talk about a worthless key. I used to physically remove that key on my full sized keyboards when I used OSes that respected it.