Most useless key?

[Bilbin]

XFire's default key combination to open conversations up in-game is Scroll Lock + X, that's the only time I use Scroll Lock.
I never use Caps Lock, I always forget and just hold down shift with my right pinky (only type with my index finger with the right hand)

The key that would have to be the most useless of them all is Pause/Break, I was actually looking at my keyboard the other day and thought to myself, my god, I have found a key on keyboards that I have never used and have no idea about.
Insert is pretty silly too, I used to hit it sometimes and then be enraged when unable to type if I go back in text to fix something.
Windows keys aren't remapped or taken out, I don't know any shortcuts either, since mechanical I haven't had any accidental windows key presses.

Another key I've been wondering about is the key between the right windows key and control, is it called Menu? I have never used that and think it to be pointless.

[spdx]

So the grand total (as accurately tallied as one can do in a forum like this)....
Scroll lock: 11
Insert: 2
CAPS LOCK:4
Menu key: 4
~:1
Win key: 1
Backspace: 1
Sys Req: 1

I can't visit geekhack without scroll lock, which is essential to my IOGear KVM switch.  [Scroll Lock][Scroll Lock][Enter] --> Switch back from geekhack to work :tongue:

[Magna224]

Pause Break, Insert, Right shift+alt+ctrl

[Lanx]

how do you use ctrl+printscreen on a laptop? my fiance was working from hom and she loaded up snagit (i think?) to printscreen, then i looked at it and said can't you ctrl+printscreen? then i looked at the laptop and remembered that prntscrn is usually with the blue FN keys, so she'd have to make 3 modifiers? ctrl+fn+prntscreen?
my votes are
pause/break (some bios still use this?)
scroll lock (for excel? whats the point)
insert (i remember this from my mac computer days?)
many F keys, i just use f4 and f5 (what the heck do the others even do? 20 years of computing and these are the only ones i use, oh f1 is help? lol whose ever used help)

[daerid]

what the heck do the others even do? 20 years of computing and these are the only ones i use, oh f1 is help? lol whose ever used help

The general convention w/ PCs:

F1: Help
F2: Rename
F3: Search
F4: Open Dropdown (Close/Quit with Ctrl/Alt)
F5: Refresh
F6: Switch Panes/Documents
F10: Menu (Shift+F10 for Context Menu)
F11: Fullscreen (usually)

The rest are really application dependent. I use them quite frequently.

[strum4h]

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Caps lock is just there because it is cruise control for awesome.

[bpiphany]

I vote "compose", strategically placed where altgr usually goes. I use it all the time to type [[[[[[[[ but not much else ([ is altgr+8 on the swedish layout).

[NewbieOneKenobi]

I only ever use insert to switch off overwriting when it gets switched on. I suppose this is the most useless key indeed since for gamers PrtScr and Pause actually matter. At least there's no power off or sleep button any more on keyboards to hit accidentally while you're going for pause in a game.

[mich]

The most useless key is the one you don't know how to use.

Insert: CTRL+INSERT, SHIFT+INSERT, SHIFT+DEL combos are equivalent to CTRL+C/V/X in most DOS and Wind0ze editors, but much closer to the arrow cluster. I used to code on Windows and having one hand on the mouse and the other one using arrows, PgUp, PgDown and Insert combos turned out to be the most efficient way of copying and moving big blocks of text.

SysRq: Raising Elephants Is So Utterly Boring

Pause: pauses execution of most bioses, allowing you to read quickly disappearing messages.

ScrollLock: pauses terminal output in Linux, used for terminal scrolling in BSDs

Numpad: well, I use it to control my media player

[litster]

I used to do CTRL+Insert, Shift+INSERT, Shift +DEL, like 18 years ago.  Now, I just use Ctrl-X, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V.

[Minskleip]

**** insert.  Just **** it.

Sig>KeyboardList>DealExtreme HHKB Killah

Not a wasted key.  No stupid FCN combos to get arrows.
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This is for ***s. ***s are more interested in *******s and children, so your post does not apply.

[quadibloc]

Does anyone actually use these keys for anything?

It's true that in Windows, Pause/Break isn't used any longer. I used to use it, instead of control-C, to stop runaway BASIC programs.

And the Insert key very definitely is useful; when editing, I may occasionally wish to replace text by text taking up the same number of columns, and switching to overwrite mode helps me do that.

Generally speaking, the Scroll Lock key, although it too has a function, is considered the "most useless" key on the keyboard, since very little software supports it. But because it's "useless", some KVM units (devices to let one keyboard serve as the keyboard for multiple computers) use it to switch between connections.

[daerid]

I use Win+Pause to bring up the computer properties dialog box all the time

[r4pture]

The menu button.  I honestly just recently (last month) even realized it was there.....I'm 25 and been on a PC since 11 and I just recently found this key.  

Seriously.

I used every key on my board, even scroll lock (xfire), the windows key (Windows key + L) and insert when typing.  Even a couple games use Pause|Break for pausing.

But I have never, in my life, EVER, used the menu key.  Hell, I wouldn't have even noticed it still if I wasn't comparing my then current KB with my Omnikey, and when I noticed there was an extra key besides the windows key I was *blown away*.

Seriously, there is no other option but the menu key.

[Lanx]

remember when programs had those cardboard cutouts that you placed over the function keys? i think that was the real main purpose of function keys so that you can have that keyboard cut out.
this like the only pic i could find, called the legend insert

[alaricljs]

Growing up I've had both the left hand side f1-f10 surround and top side f1-f12 surround for WordPerfect.  Many of the same F-key assignments are still used for office apps today.

[sordna]

Seriously, there is no other option but the menu key.

I would have to agree, however I like having a Menu key on keyboards, so I can remap it to something else. On my Poker, the menu key is remapped to ~` so I can keep my top left button locked to Escape.

[bpiphany]

I use the menu key all the time, in spreadsheets, choosing program to open files, and everywhere else where right-clicking is an option.

[Lanx]

isn't the menu key there cuz of mac's and their one button? or have they gotten two buttons now? (i don't use macs)

[daerid]

@Lanx: No, the menu key is there so that you can have keyboard access to it

As far as I know there's no way to trigger it via the keyboard short of MouseKeys in Accessibility (which is more of a pain than it's worth, honestly)

[Lenny_Nero]

As said it depends on what you use.

I could not get anything done without Scroll-Lock(+[00-200]) as it switches between everything,
on my win boxes the Pause-Break pauses coolplayer (small media player I use for my audiobooks) same used with the windows key to get to Sys Props,
menu key or Shift-F10 for context depends where my fingers are as to what I use.
[Alt]+Print screen does as it says.

I would say that in windows I do have F1 turned off via Pitaschio most of the time,
and depending on what I am using Insert.

But I would never say that something is not needed,
there will always be someone else that has to use something, just because you dont use it does not mean its not needed at all.

Like when you hear people wanting macro keys to run something why?
you have a 'key' board full of keys just map something to do the job there is no need for fancy keys to open outlook or turn the sound up.

Even worse when its said "I have to pull off the win key 'cos it does x,y,z, use something to turn it off in software.

No key is unused or of any less value.

[hashbaz]

Obviously any key can be remapped to something useful.  I think the interesting question is, given the default mappings for your OS/applications, which do you never use?

For me it is the menu key.  If I'm in a situation where I need a context menu, I will generally have my hand on the mouse already.  That said, maybe I would find it more useful if I knew Windows' shortcut keys better.

[N8N]

I agree, menu is pretty useless, since I'm so used to using alt-f to bring up most file menus anyway (from using pre-winkeyful keyboards) I don't use the windows keys either, and as far as I'm concerned, scroll lock and pause/break might as well not exist, and num lock might as well not be there either since I typically only use the numpad as a numpad, there's a perfectly functional nav cluster just to the left of it that's more convenient.

[domin8r]

The "scroll lock" just officially became my most useless key. The switch for me Tab key was broken so I soldered and switched it with scroll lock. Noone will know

[Lanx]

i would say scroll lock is the key most recommended as a "donor" switch when a regular switch is broken.

[Fred]

Scroll lock would be my pick. I only know one use for this key, and that is lowering the difficulty from lord of the game to suicide in tyrian's super tyrian mode.

[RC-1140]

Vote for ScrollLock. I use the Windows Keys as Mod for my XMonad (surprised to discover I'm not the only one using it...) and when using the German Neo Layout (Ergonomic) the CapsLock Key is used as an additional Modifier. The Print SysRq is fantastic for screencapturing and the Magic SysRq functionalities of Linux, and I love my Break Key for reading terminal output. The Insert key is used by the GNU Midnight Commander and for Shift+Insert and Ctrl+Insert stuff mentioned above.

Conclusion: I don't need my ScrollLock key (This thread is the only reason I just discovered, that my ScrollLock LEDs won't light up, neither on my notebook, nor on my G84-4100)

RC

[gmorf33]

I use the menu key quite frequently.  Users dependent on the mouse won't use it, but those who prefer keyboard only operation would use it all the time.   Pause/Break is still used for a few windows hotkeys (windows+pause/break = system properties window).   And in a unix shell to break an operation.

[davin]

Well,

Recently i remapped my capslock to delete. Don't need the caps key.
Works great if you ask me, just have to get used to it

For the insert, not sure yet, maybe cause i am on mac and do not have insert

Regards,
Davin

[sordna]

when using the German Neo Layout (Ergonomic) the CapsLock Key is used as an additional Modifier.

Ah, the neo layout is the only layout I found that allows both 3rd level and 5th level shifting, allowing 2 extra customizable layers. Too bad there's no us-neo layout! I'm using us-intl on linux, which at least has the 3rd level.

[hashbaz]

I use the Windows Keys as Mod for my XMonad (surprised to discover I'm not the only one using it...)

xmonad! \m/

(though I actually prefer awesome, but don't have the patience to get it up and running on my work machine)

[hashbaz]

I use the menu key quite frequently.  Users dependent on the mouse won't use it, but those who prefer keyboard only operation would use it all the time.

Those are fighting words bro.

[IvanIvanovich]

A♯ minor

er, scroll lock.

[WorldExclusive]

Insert gets in the way when typing long papers. Press it by accident, and your overwriting your work.

Down with Insert.

[Canada]

This key is present on a lot of Canadian laptops.  It needs to burn in purgatory.

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[one_each]

The windows key.  About the only thing it is good for is kicking me out of a game to go into a menu I always use a mouse with anyway.

This key is brought to you by the company that used "Start It Up" as the promo music for their (at the time) newest product without realizing it has the phrase, "You make a grown man cry".  Same company also used opera music for another product without realizing that the context was a character deciding if they should ascend into heaven or descend into hell.  The music reaches a crescendo in the ad as they show of the project and in the opera, the same moment of music is the character choosing to descend into hell.

[edit]
Oh yeah, F INS.

[Blame]

I never used capslock or menu when I was using qwerty...
Now I need capslock a lot to switch to the 3rd layer (I'm using some neo-nordtast hybrid now), so I think the menu key is the less used key on my keyboard.

[TopazPie]

Themostuselesskeybyfaristhespacebar.Completelypointlesskey.

^ 5 friendship dollars for people who were able to read that :flypig:

The key that I think is the most useless on a keyboard, is any macro key.

[gmorf33]

The windows key.  About the only thing it is good for is kicking me out of a game to go into a menu I always use a mouse with anyway.

Windows Key is very useful once you know all the windows hotkeys its involved in.   Win+R = Run line, Win+E = explorer, Win+Pause = system properties, etc.   I use those first 2 all the time.

It does suck getting kicked out of games because of it though.   Back in my highschool days, i used to pop it out because all i did on my computer was game.  Then i discovered this cool tool while playing Diablo2 that disabled alt+f4 and Win key while the game was running.

[FootSpaz]

I feel the thread title should be "Least Useful Key?" as opposed to "Most useless key?". Being a programmer and computer hobbyist, I have uses for every key on my keyboard(s); I just use some of them much less than others.

[one_each]

Except I don't run windows, unless I'm playing a game.  If I were on a Mac then the Windows key becomes the Command key, but by default on Linux it does nothing.

[peda]

.... but by default on Linux it does nothing.

On some distribution it has a function.

Eg. on the new Ubuntu unity interface it brings up the program-search-bar (?).


EDIT: and doesn't Win+F1 etc. switch to the certain windows in the blackbox window manager? cant remember for sure as it is quiet a while since i used it.

[sordna]

With compiz-fusion on linux, you can use the windows key (Super) for shortcuts, like to rotate the desktop cube etc.