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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: fssbzz on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:22:20

Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: fssbzz on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:22:20
i turn on and off.
nothing happen
my scrolling still works fine.
even on or off.
but does it actually do?
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: bladamson on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:31:02
I think in DOS is used to actually stop the screen from scrolling. :P

But now it just provides an extra LED to make blink when you have mail or something. :P
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: fssbzz on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:31:43
so in windows, it really does nothing other then give you some cool LED?
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: bladamson on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:37:39
Not that I know of. :3
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: bladamson on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:40:23
Does is launch Doom?
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: fssbzz on Sat, 01 January 2011, 01:43:37
Quote from: ripster;271490
Load up Excel and try it.


oh man, i see the difference now.
thanks!
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: Minskleip on Sat, 01 January 2011, 05:10:31
Now think if these programs had a decent editor, like Vi!
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: Sam on Sat, 01 January 2011, 07:08:35
It was intended to give a way of keeping the cursor positioned in the same place on the screen when pressing up/down arrow and having the screen scroll up/down a line rather than move the cursor.  Seems though it's not so commonly used anymore in modern applications.  Some applications treat the mouse scroll wheel in this same manner.  I suppose most people found it not very useful and applications started ignoring it, especially after the mouse became standard on computers and one could just click on the up/down arrows on the scroll bar.  I would often use it if I was reading a lengthy piece of text, where I might want to scroll down as I read, but sometimes scroll back up a line or two to check something I previously read.  When doing this via only a keyboard it's a handy feature to have.  Page up/down would work, but it's easier to lose your place for a moment compared to seeing just a single line scrolling.
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 01 January 2011, 07:21:18
I think it's used in Linux to control the flow of text on a console.
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: Minskleip on Sat, 01 January 2011, 07:36:30
Quote from: ch_123;271552
I think it's used in Linux to control the flow of text on a console.

Do you have a box handy to test if it has any effect in vi? Or tmux!?
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: 7bit on Sat, 01 January 2011, 08:09:28
Quote from: Minskleip;271553
Do you have a box handy to test if it has any effect in vi? Or tmux!?


It only works in a text console, by stopping output.

It does not work in a X11 terminal emulation.

It was useful in times when output had been printed on endless paper.
Nowadays it is 100% anachronistic. I use that button as Caps Lock.
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: Minskleip on Sat, 01 January 2011, 08:49:55
Quote from: 7bit;271555
It only works in a text console, by stopping output.

It does not work in a X11 terminal emulation.

It was useful in times when output had been printed on endless paper.
Nowadays it is 100% anachronistic. I use that button as Caps Lock.

Ah, ok. Don't think I have caps lock on Linux anymore
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: theferenc on Sat, 01 January 2011, 09:31:33
My caps lock is where ESC usually lives. It's nice and out of the way, and I didn't have to give up another key to do it, since that's a dead key in the UNIX layout.

Also, emacs recognizes scroll lock, for what it's worth. At least in my departmental installation (RHEL).
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: Daniel Beaver on Sat, 01 January 2011, 11:25:07
The legitimate uses have been mentioned.

But what it's really for is having a super handy on/off light for scripts you run.
Title: what is scroll lock actually for?
Post by: clickclack on Sun, 02 January 2011, 02:51:29
haahaa... This ^^^


Seriously, it's a great key for that!