Left-side function/macro column: what do you use it for?

[tex_live_utility]

Many keyboards nowadays have 1 or 2 columns of function keys down the left side.

If you own one of these keyboards (or plan to own one soon), what keyboard is it and what do you use the left-side function keys for?

I think it's a nice look, but I've avoided getting one because I feel like I wouldn't make good use of those keys )

[singabore]

haven't done it yet, but i have a duck tc-v3. it's got a 12 button macro column. i use 2 of em for volume and plan to use the other 10 for MMO keybinds

[Leslieann]

I had those on a keyboard, HATED IT.

If I was typing something it was fine, but if my hands were not already on the keyboard and I would go to slap the esc key my hand eye coordination would send my hand flying to slap the esc key, which is always top left, only to hit that macro. Not a big deal most of the time, unless you needed it in a hurry then it became an issue. I ended up just setting that as a second esc key.

It's not a bad idea, it just doesn't work as well for me as I'd hoped.
Most of the time you can remap several other lesser used keys instead, for example right now pause and scroll lock are mapped to volume, but when I was still gaming on Windows I'd use AHK and remap most F-keys as well as the cluster above the arrow keys while games were running, giving me plenty of macros even on a TKL.

[AuthenticDanger]

Many keyboards nowadays have 1 or 2 columns of function keys down the left side.

Some. A few. A sliver of the MK pie chart. We are a minority and while it seems "trendy" right now, in the grand scheme of things, there are lots and lots of "standard" boards that outnumber the modern left F-key layouts.

I own over a dozen different modern left F-key boards and some vintage ones as well. Sometimes it's nice to have photo or video editing shortcuts right there so that you can rest your left hand on the board and your right hand on the mouse and do complex actions quickly. Sometimes it's nice to have media controls just to the left of your hand when you're casually gaming and want to pump up the music before the next boss fight. And sometimes you just want a place to put a bunch of artisans.