Ctrl or Control Legends?

[Karura]

Just wondering, what do you guys prefer to have, Control or Ctrl on your keycaps?

The reason why I'm asking is because I've noticed that lately almost all keycaps being produced are using "Control", but what about "Ctrl", is there still any desire for it?

Some argue that "Ctrl" and "Alt" match up nicely when you look at it, but others have counter-argued that when we actually say it out loud, we say "Control, Alt", not "Control, Alternative"

So... with all that said, what does everyone prefer?

This is really trivial, but so is a lot of things in this hobby, so I thought I'd ask anyway 

[mozaiq]

Well for me it's just that I don't like long names/printings on caps in general. So if I had the chance , I would go for CTRL. Maybe this is a matter of habit, since here in Germany, almost all native keyboards use "STRG" as a caption for the control key. So in that way I'm much more used to the abbreviation in this case. But I wouldn't rule out a keyset just because it uses Control instead of CTRL.

[Oobly]

Depends on the profile and font used.

I like "Control" on GMK / Cherry sets, but most DCS profile sets I prefer "Ctrl", depending on the theme / colour scheme. For SA profile I like "CTRL", also "RETURN" on the Enter key

"Alternative" is a bit long to fit and I do feel that "Control" and "Alt" are okay together.

[Coreda]

others have counter-argued that when we actually say it out loud, we say "Control, Alt", not "Control, Alternative"

'Ker-Tarl' all the way. Gotta be consistent. 'Ker-Tarl Alt Dell' just rolls off the tongue.

Macs as usual have the superior modifier - Kimm'd.

[Puddsy]

Control = ANSI

ctrl = I SO

[yasuo]

i like control than ctrl and eraser than backspace )

[hwood34]

Control looks nice on all the GMK sets like Dolch and OG cherry, but not on anything else

[Findecanor]

It should say "Control".
"Ctrl" is an abbreviation for when the key is smaller than 1.5 wide and "Control" does not fit.

Similarly, the right Alt key in some layouts should say "Alt Graph" if that fits, not just "Alt Gr".

[hwood34]

It should say "Control".
"Ctrl" is an abbreviation for when the key is smaller than 1.5 wide and "Control" does not fit.

Similarly, the right Alt key in some layouts should say "Alt Graph" if that fits, not just "Alt Gr".

TIL

[margo baggins]

Control = ANSI

ctrl = I SO

That's not true - I have a winkey cherry ISO set, control's say control.

It should say "Control".
"Ctrl" is an abbreviation for when the key is smaller than 1.5 wide and "Control" does not fit.

Similarly, the right Alt key in some layouts should say "Alt Graph" if that fits, not just "Alt Gr".

I don't think that's true either, for the same reason as above. I have cherry sets with 1.25x that say control.

See - G80-3000HQMGB

[IvanIvanovich]

Control is pretty much the standard on Cherry stuff... I can only think of a few that used Ctrl or CTRL besides later 1800/11900 with 1x mods. As for personal preference, I don't really care much.

[ideus]

I'd prefer * as an icon for control. 

[0100010]

Ctrl and Alt is what I am used to, but nothing wrong with Control and Alt, or Control and Alt Gr.

[HydraDyne]

I rather Ctrl, I personally like how the letters work together in such a way.

[rowdy]

Doesn't really bother me either way. I guess Control if there is room, Ctrl otherwise.  NEVER CTRL.

[Hak Foo]

ISTR the Atari ST used "Alternate" on their Alt keys

[jacobolus]

IBM’s keyboard layouts and legends were okay on beam spring keyboards (pretty symbols and full words), but the little hat keys (1u wide pressable area with steps on both sides or top/bottom of the keys) on the PC XT were stupid, and forced them to use abbreviated legends,[1] which were also stupid. For that matter, all of IBM’s subsequent keyboard layout ideas were also pretty stupid IMO, right up through the 101-key layout we all have to live with today.

Because all the hardware in the IBM/Wintel computing world was made to be clones, valuing compatibility over thoughtful design or any kind of innovation, we still have to live with many of IBM’s crappy choices from the 80s today.

Anyway, to answer your question, the correct legends are “Command”, “Option”, “Control”.

[1] No room on here for full words:

[jacobolus]

Similarly, the right Alt key in some layouts should say "Alt Graph" if that fits, not just "Alt Gr".

Should be “Alternate” and “Alternate Graph”. Though to be honest the word “graph” was a poor choice, since that’s a technical term in linguistics no one who isn’t a linguist ever uses in any context.

[jonathanyu]

I like CTRL rather than Control because it give a more consistent feel since Alternative, Alternative Graph, Delete are also written in short form.

[Findecanor]

ISTR the Atari ST used "Alternate" on their Alt keys

Thanks. I knew there was a keyboard that did it, but I couldn't quite remember which.
The Atari ST keyboard (and the rest of the computer also, btw) was quite horrible, and worth forgetting ...

[jacobolus]

ISTR the Atari ST used "Alternate" on their Alt keys

Thanks. I knew there was a keyboard that did it, but I couldn't quite remember which.

NeXT keyboards also used “Alternate”.

[SpicyLobotomy]

I'd rather have CTRL, or just a symbol. Minimalism is beautiful on a keyboard IMO.

[PocoLoco]

I personally prefer ctrl over control i think it all depends on the space available and personal preferance

[user 18]

If I'm picking, I prefer to see CTRL over anything else. If it's on a set someone else designed, it wouldn't be enough to stop me from getting the set either way.

[gravenshard]

CTRL > Control

[rowdy]

I've just realised Nuclear Data Green has CTRL legends.  Scrub my earlier comment about CTRL

[Artonkn]

CTRL imo, Control feels too squeezed

[Dongulator]

Both work for me.. everything I have does have Ctrl though. Maybe I should change that.

[Karura]

Reviving this thread from the dead, since it's been a long time.

Lately we've had a lot of GMK group buys, with the majority opting for Control over Ctrl or other alternatives, so I was curious:

Do you still prefer Control on your 1.25 keys or do I sense some need for the Ctrl legend?

[Matias]

Similarly, the right Alt key in some layouts should say "Alt Graph" if that fits, not just "Alt Gr".

Should be “Alternate” and “Alternate Graph”. Though to be honest the word “graph” was a poor choice, since that’s a technical term in linguistics no one who isn’t a linguist ever uses in any context.

I always figured that "Alt Gr" stood for "Alternate Graphic" or "Alternate Graphics" -- as in the extended character set by extending ASCII from 7 to 8 bits.

[baldgye]

Ctrl Atl is life

[rowdy]

Ctrl Atl is life

QFT

[nubbinator]

Ctrl for consistency with Alt, Control if it's replacing Caps Lock.  It's not a big thing to me though, unlike some others that can kill a set for me.

[hwood34]

Depends on the profile and font used.

I like "Control" on GMK / Cherry sets, but most DCS profile sets I prefer "Ctrl", depending on the theme / colour scheme. For SA profile I like "CTRL", also "RETURN" on the Enter key

"Alternative" is a bit long to fit and I do feel that "Control" and "Alt" are okay together.

This. May be that I've just become accustomed to seeing each this way but it just feels better.

[againer]

I'd rather have CTRL, or just a symbol. Minimalism is beautiful on a keyboard IMO.

Since I can never find matching keycaps for a swiss layout. I am used to blank keycaps. I started to like blank keycaps. You should try blanks too, they are even more minimalistic

[Karura]

Does anyone have photos of an OG Cherry keyboard that has the "Ctrl" legends? I know that there are boards like OG Olivetti that had "CTRL" on it, but was wondering if "Ctrl" was ever a thing. Almost all OG boards I've seen, including TA, OG dyesub, all had Control on it.

Even OG dyesub german ISO ones have "Control" on it.

Just curious to see if anyone has anything

[nightdriver]

i like the all caps CTRL on the triumph adler set!

[nightdriver]

oh, i also like the "escape" keycaps that have the whole word on them.

[Megaweapon]

Control = ANSI

ctrl = I SO

I love Ctrl but hate ISO.  What's wrong with me??

[KnivesM]

I prefer Control over CTRL/Ctrl but it's not really a big issue.

[Findecanor]

I think CTRL in all-caps should be used only if all other textual legends are all-caps. It is an abbreviation, not an initialism.

I always figured that "Alt Gr" stood for "Alternate Graphic" or "Alternate Graphics" -- as in the extended character set by extending ASCII from 7 to 8 bits.

When I was in typing class back in 8th grade, I was taught that "Alt Gr" stood for "Alt Grande" ... and that I should think of it as the "Big Alternate" where as the left Alt key was the "Small Alternate" key. When looking back I think that it was only meant as a mnemonic, but I had interpreted it as gospel. I was under this false belief for a number of years ...

BTW, we had IBM PCs with clicky Model Ms back then. And nobody complained about the noise. The school official who got us them was very proud of having got "proper" computers and not Compis.

[nubbinator]

For some unknown reason to me, Alt Gr always became Alt Greel in my head.  No clue where Greel came from or what it means, just that what it be.

[baldgye]

For some unknown reason to me, Alt Gr always became Alt Greel in my head.  No clue where Greel came from or what it means, just that what it be.

YES

[SamFlynn]

I always felt as if Control/Ctrl should have its own symbol like Caps:

[Findecanor]

The common symbol for Control is ^.

[Eszett]

Why do you mix up Alt with Alt Gr, aren't both different keys?

[nubbinator]

For some unknown reason to me, Alt Gr always became Alt Greel in my head.  No clue where Greel came from or what it means, just that what it be.

YES

umm, ok.

[Eszett]

Both "CTRL" and "CONTROL" are common. As a stilistic rule, write (print) a word out whenever possible. If you can't write it out due to lack of space, shorten it. Collapsed abbreviations as "CTRL", where letters inside are left out, are rather ugly, don't you think so? Or do you want to read something like "BCKSPCE"? I would rather prefer to read something like "BACK", "BACKSP." oder even "BS". If practically necessary, as for an 1u for example, "CTRL" is tolerable, though.

[Monophonic]

I prefer to see full words. It's one thing I like about the Mac keyboards more. So I guess that falls into line with the counter argument you said.

I also like seeing a space between Caps and Lock

[chive_]

It doesn't matter that much to me, I'd go with either if I wanted the keyset.