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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: QuincyJones on Wed, 15 June 2016, 09:23:04

Title: capslock
Post by: QuincyJones on Wed, 15 June 2016, 09:23:04
WHY DO KEYBOARDS STILL HAVE THIS KEY THAT SWITCHES ITSELF ON AND MAKES THINGS LOUD?

WHO ACTUALLY USES THE CAPS LOCK KEY AS A CAPS LOCK?
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: chyros on Wed, 15 June 2016, 09:31:52
I USE IT ALL THE ****ING TIME
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Data on Wed, 15 June 2016, 09:39:30
Caps Lock, the red-headed step(ped) child of the home row.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: QuincyJones on Wed, 15 June 2016, 10:04:20
Caps Lock, the red-headed step(ped) child of the home row.

but... red-headed step-children are...beautiful
(http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Anne-of-Green-Gables-anne-of-green-gables-600558_500_375.jpg)
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: algernon on Wed, 15 June 2016, 10:08:35
WHY DO KEYBOARDS STILL HAVE THIS KEY THAT SWITCHES ITSELF ON AND MAKES THINGS LOUD?

WHO ACTUALLY USES THE CAPS LOCK KEY AS A CAPS LOCK?

Smart people use the Shift key as a kind of caps lock, by making it sticky with a double-tap. Allows better use of that key on the home row, by turning it into a Tab, for example.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: phosphoric on Wed, 15 June 2016, 10:25:15
caps lock is something that i only really use if it's there... if it's not there i generally use that key as fn and will toss caps lock into an fn layer (just in the off-chance i find it necessary), but i suffice well enough with holding down the shift key
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: nmur on Wed, 15 June 2016, 10:35:45
i can deal with it being on a board, despite hardly ever ever every using it

what's really bull**** is that it's on the god damn home row on most boards

i have it bound to CTRL on all my boards (like it should be) but people at work think i'm some kind of weirdo
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: supamesican on Wed, 15 June 2016, 14:45:08
because there was a time when humanity sinned so badly that the powers that be punished us by taking the control key from its proper place and putting that monstrosity where control once was. Thankfully we have repented enough that there is some relief, unicomp and topre for example offer boards with control back where it should be, banishing caps lock to other places.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: mike52787 on Wed, 15 June 2016, 15:33:54
I USE CAPSLOCK ALOT AND I DONT UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE THAT PUT CTRL THERE. OUT OF HABIT IM PRETTY SURE I CAN NEVER GET USED TO CTRL NOT BEING IN ITS NORMAL SPOT.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: ddot on Wed, 15 June 2016, 16:32:49
As someone who does a lot of drafting, I actually use the caps lock a lot as the notes in drafting are all in caps.  On for drafting time.  Off for regular time (email etc).  I do agree though that it doesn't need a dedicated key on home row.  I currently have mine mapped as a (colemak inspired) backspace and the caps lock on a function layer.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: chyros on Wed, 15 June 2016, 17:18:17
I should add that while I use caps lock a lot, I use .TXT files a lot too. So I'm not exactly normal :p .
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Data on Wed, 15 June 2016, 18:40:11
Whoa, hey... There's nothing wrong with TXT files. Notepad is my ****.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: kenmai9 on Wed, 15 June 2016, 19:07:46
i really hate when people at work use caps lock as their shift.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: cbalcom03 on Wed, 15 June 2016, 21:25:46
It never bothered me until I got a pok3r with the FN and arrow keys on the same (right) side. Just found out earlier today actually the flipping dip switch 3 it makes caps lock the FN key and all is glorious in the world.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: kenmai9 on Thu, 16 June 2016, 00:34:23
It never bothered me until I got a pok3r with the FN and arrow keys on the same (right) side. Just found out earlier today actually the flipping dip switch 3 it makes caps lock the FN key and all is glorious in the world.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

interesting. i don't really use fn except for the wasd.

i use my caps lock as a ctrl key.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: alexjd99 on Thu, 16 June 2016, 00:51:02
PEOPLE WHO USE CAPS AS SHIFT NEED TO FIX THEIR WAYS

ALSO I'M FINE WITH IT BEING A DEDICATED KEY, BUT CONTROL SHOULD ALWAYS BE WHERE CAPS NORMALLY IS. SERIOUSLY WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A KEY THAT'S RARELY USED IN SUCH A GOOD PLACE!!!111!!!!!111ONEHUNDREDELEVEN!!!!!!!
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 16 June 2016, 01:04:30
EVERY LETTER OF ALL EBAY LISTING TITLES SHOULD BE CAPITALIZED. SERIOUSLY, ALL CAPS, ALL THE TIME. LET'S DO IT.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: QuincyJones on Thu, 16 June 2016, 02:28:40
LET'S ALL BLAME MO'FO' DELL AND THEIR STUPID IBM M KEYBOARD LAYOUT WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD PLACE
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: chyros on Thu, 16 June 2016, 02:54:13
CONTROL IS WEIRD TO HAVE IN THE CAPS LOCK POSITION WHY WOULD YOU SWAP IT LIKE THAT
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: QuincyJones on Thu, 16 June 2016, 04:00:33
people at work think i'm some kind of weirdo

THAT'S WHY. WEIRDOS EVERYWHERE!
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: SBJ on Thu, 16 June 2016, 04:14:33
WHY DO KEYBOARDS STILL HAVE THIS KEY THAT SWITCHES ITSELF ON AND MAKES THINGS LOUD?

WHO ACTUALLY USES THE CAPS LOCK KEY AS A CAPS LOCK?

Smart people use the Shift key as a kind of caps lock, by making it sticky with a double-tap. Allows better use of that key on the home row, by turning it into a Tab, for example.
How do you go about doing that, exactly? It sounds interesting.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: algernon on Thu, 16 June 2016, 04:45:09
WHY DO KEYBOARDS STILL HAVE THIS KEY THAT SWITCHES ITSELF ON AND MAKES THINGS LOUD?

WHO ACTUALLY USES THE CAPS LOCK KEY AS A CAPS LOCK?

Smart people use the Shift key as a kind of caps lock, by making it sticky with a double-tap. Allows better use of that key on the home row, by turning it into a Tab, for example.
How do you go about doing that, exactly? It sounds interesting.

I do some magic in the layout I use (https://github.com/algernon/ergodox-layout#algernons-layout). QMK has this nice feature of one-shot modifiers, where I can mark a modifier as such, meaning that if I tap it once, the next key pressed within a small timeframe will have the modifier applied, without me having to hold it. If I double-tap the modifier key, it will stay on until toggled off with a third press, so all keys pressed inbetween will have it applied. If I hold it, it works as usual.

This does a bit more than Capslock, because it applies the modifier to all keys, and doesn't just make alphas CAPITAL letters.

Having shift on the thumb cluster of an ErgoDox, behaving this way, is like typing heaven for my fingers. And I gain another key on the keyboard, which I can put to better use than a dedicated caps key.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Malenky on Thu, 16 June 2016, 04:48:18
I have my caps lock as control, and I also have a standard control. I have capslock on fn + (the control where caps lock normally is).
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Krustyboomer on Thu, 16 June 2016, 07:08:17
Not sure if I hate the caps lock or winkey more.  Winkey definitely when gaming.  Actually I hate my phone's autocorrect more.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Data on Thu, 16 June 2016, 07:20:15
i really hate when people at work use caps lock as their shift.

BUT MY BRAIN ONLY HAS 1-KEY ROLLOVER
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: mike52787 on Thu, 16 June 2016, 09:50:32
CONTROL IS WEIRD TO HAVE IN THE CAPS LOCK POSITION WHY WOULD YOU SWAP IT LIKE THAT
I AGREE
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: jceaser on Thu, 16 June 2016, 11:10:46
Where is my Shift lock key!
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: cryptokey on Thu, 16 June 2016, 11:34:08
What is this "Caps Lock" you speak of?  I am aware of a certain "Ctrl", but no "Caps Lock".
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: kingpilcrow on Thu, 16 June 2016, 18:03:00
CONTROL IS WEIRD TO HAVE IN THE CAPS LOCK POSITION WHY WOULD YOU SWAP IT LIKE THAT
I AGREE
DEFINITELY
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: thurst0n on Thu, 16 June 2016, 21:46:19
I use caps lock as push to talk and I just let whatever I type have a 50/50 chance of being caps locked
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: jcoffin1981 on Thu, 16 June 2016, 22:29:41
Yes, I agree.  Any quality keyboard which has had some thought put into the engineering should have the option of remapping the caps lock into an Fn key or remapping it to whatever is desired, and this still leaves it as an option for the few people who like to use Caps Lock.  Like those who want to SHOUT in forums. 

I do like boards with the staggered keycap, so there is sort of a space between the letter "a" and "CapsLock."  This helps prevent accidentally engaging the key.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Fullcream on Sat, 18 June 2016, 06:48:18
Correct way of using shift is to use both of them. If you were to actually shout, then it is disgusting to think that you are holding down shift to shout a whole word.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: xtrafrood on Sat, 18 June 2016, 07:21:50
Correct way of using shift is to use both of them. If you were to actually shout, then it is disgusting to think that you are holding down shift to shout a whole word.

I AM SO DISGUSTING!
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: E3E on Sat, 18 June 2016, 09:02:34
I USE A LATCHING SWITCH FOR MY CAPS LOCK KEY EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNSUPPORTED. I SHOULD PROBABLY MAKE IT AN FN KEY INSTEAD1111!
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 18 June 2016, 09:37:16
[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: chyros on Sat, 18 June 2016, 12:31:33
I USE A LATCHING SWITCH FOR MY CAPS LOCK KEY EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNSUPPORTED. I SHOULD PROBABLY MAKE IT AN FN KEY INSTEAD1111!
I THINK YOU COULD USE A SHIFT LOCK BUTTON INSTEAD OF A CAPS LOCK.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 19 June 2016, 00:02:50
so if you type something in all lowercase is that like whispering?
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Vadisi on Sun, 19 June 2016, 03:12:11
I put control where capslock goes, function where control goes and bind capslock to function + tab (Not that I use it though).
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: nephiel on Sun, 19 June 2016, 03:24:32
Set it up with TMK as a dual-role key so it's Caps Lock when tapped, but Ctrl when held down.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: jcoffin1981 on Sun, 19 June 2016, 03:34:45
Yes on my V60 I can engage Capslock with the Fn (originally caps lock)+ Tab key.  I cannot seem to activate it with  my poker though. 

The joke about it being disgusting to hold down Shift kind of went over my head.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Morituri on Sun, 19 June 2016, 13:57:08
I decided, the ability to lock a capital letters mode is useless. 

So I use the key as a modifier to invoke a layer where the rest of my keyboard is mapped to greek characters, mathematical symbols, and combining accents. 
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: lee+ on Sun, 19 June 2016, 14:24:20
Are there any key caps available yet that display the symbol or function that's currently bound to the key?
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Findecanor on Sun, 19 June 2016, 14:38:08
Are there any key caps available yet that display the symbol or function that's currently bound to the key?
Check out Optimus Maximus and Optimus Popularis ... and gawk at the price tags.
Also, neither of those keyboards is known for having very good key feel.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: lee+ on Sun, 19 June 2016, 15:56:18
Are there any key caps available yet that display the symbol or function that's currently bound to the key?
Check out Optimus Maximus and Optimus Popularis ... and gawk at the price tags.
Also, neither of those keyboards is known for having very good key feel.

Those don't seem to be available anymore, and 64x64 pixels on a key is a bit wee for displaying functions.

What about touchscreens?  It should't be too expensive to make a touchscreen like are used for cell phones the size of a keyboard, to be used as one.  The problem is to make them tactile, so a beeper might have to suffice.  That finally puts some sense to these LCARS consoles they had on Star Trek.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 20 June 2016, 03:12:25
What about touchscreens?
Oh, suggesting touchscreens on a keyboard forum could be mistaken for trolling. ;) ;)

Personally, I have no problem typing fast on a keyboard with no legends at all -- as long the layout is one that I am used to.
For me and for many here, the key feel is very important. Not just the tactile sensation at actuation but also the feel of the keycaps before I press them to help the fingers find their right place.
I did use a tablet with touchscreen keyboard exclusively when I travelled for two weeks and while in time I got better at it, at the end I still typed much slower than I would have had on a real keyboard.
I believe that to be able to type reasonably fast on a touch screen or even on some low-travel chiclet keyboards you must first exercise typing on a keyboard with real keys to develop the proper muscle memory.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 20 June 2016, 05:54:56
What about touchscreens?
Oh, suggesting touchscreens on a keyboard forum could be mistaken for trolling. ;) ;)

Personally, I have no problem typing fast on a keyboard with no legends at all -- as long the layout is one that I am used to.
For me and for many here, the key feel is very important. Not just the tactile sensation at actuation but also the feel of the keycaps before I press them to help the fingers find their right place.
I did use a tablet with touchscreen keyboard exclusively when I travelled for two weeks and while in time I got better at it, at the end I still typed much slower than I would have had on a real keyboard.
I believe that to be able to type reasonably fast on a touch screen or even on some low-travel chiclet keyboards you must first exercise typing on a keyboard with real keys to develop the proper muscle memory.

Touch-screen keyboards would loosely come under "etc." in the "dome, scissor, capacitive, mechanical, buckling-spring, laser, membrane, hall-effect, etc." bit ;)
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: QuincyJones on Mon, 20 June 2016, 13:09:25
a keyboard is just a controller - be it whatever form that may... Just like those huge retro floor pianos, I want to see a huge floor keyboard.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/2004-12-12_-_New_York_(9).jpg

LOOK AT ALL THOSE TOYS
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: y11971alex on Tue, 21 June 2016, 00:46:59
I actually prefer the AT layout to ANSI, since I never use the right Alt and Ctrl buttons anyway.  The left Ctrl on home row makes sense, and relegating Caps Lock to the bottom right seems sensible. 

I can deal with the small backspace.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: xtrafrood on Tue, 21 June 2016, 02:22:33
Confirmed. I switched my capslock for CTRL in my settings; now when it press it accidentally I'M NOT SCREAMING AS I TYPE :D
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: NightCabbage on Tue, 21 June 2016, 02:25:05
Yes, I actually use AutoHotKey to disable Caps Lock... as it causes trouble when activated accidentally, and I never use it on purpose - that's what shift is for :P
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 21 June 2016, 05:28:23
Who's annoyed by people who say "cap locks"?
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Brammm87 on Tue, 21 June 2016, 07:03:24
WHY DO KEYBOARDS STILL HAVE THIS KEY THAT SWITCHES ITSELF ON AND MAKES THINGS LOUD?

WHO ACTUALLY USES THE CAPS LOCK KEY AS A CAPS LOCK?

Smart people use the Shift key as a kind of caps lock, by making it sticky with a double-tap. Allows better use of that key on the home row, by turning it into a Tab, for example.
How do you do that? I use caps lock for comedic effect.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: SBJ on Tue, 21 June 2016, 07:19:17
Who's annoyed by people who say "cap locks"?
Never experienced this, thankfully. I'd probably punch them in the throat.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: algernon on Tue, 21 June 2016, 07:26:44
WHY DO KEYBOARDS STILL HAVE THIS KEY THAT SWITCHES ITSELF ON AND MAKES THINGS LOUD?

WHO ACTUALLY USES THE CAPS LOCK KEY AS A CAPS LOCK?

Smart people use the Shift key as a kind of caps lock, by making it sticky with a double-tap. Allows better use of that key on the home row, by turning it into a Tab, for example.
How do you do that? I use caps lock for comedic effect.

I reprogrammed my keyboard firmware (https://github.com/algernon/ergodox-layout), but most OSes have a sticky modifiers setting, I was told.
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: Morituri on Tue, 21 June 2016, 12:45:42
Who's annoyed by people who say "cap locks"?

But.... many companies - especially oil companies and refineries - use cap locks.  They are padlocks that hold pipe caps in place with a hasp so that vandals and thieves can't unscrew them without first using a hacksaw on the hasp or lock.  On hearing someone say cap locks, I'd ask why they were using such a specific, specialized piece of oilfield equipment, rather than assuming it had anything to do with typing.

Title: Re: capslock
Post by: xtrafrood on Tue, 21 June 2016, 13:17:26
Who's annoyed by people who say "cap locks"?

But.... many companies - especially oil companies and refineries - use cap locks.  They are padlocks that hold pipe caps in place with a hasp so that vandals and thieves can't unscrew them without first using a hacksaw on the hasp or lock.  On hearing someone say cap locks, I'd ask why they were using such a specific, specialized piece of oilfield equipment, rather than assuming it had anything to do with typing.

Some cars/trucks/motorcycles have those too. So, they have a name! Neat
Title: Re: capslock
Post by: KaLam1ty on Tue, 21 June 2016, 14:21:59
I also remapped it to Backspace.
Best thing I've ever done, in terms of custom layouts. Is it a lot more efficient.

As a bonus, it allows for a useful keybind in games. I could never really bind Caps Lock to anything, because I'd have to untoggle it, if I ever wanted to type chat. Now that it's mapped as Backspace, I don't run into any odd issues with using that key.