Is there an anti-Caps Lock movement?

[Viett]

Reading this article and other discussions about the Caps Lock key, I can't help but come to the conclusion that many, if not most people, find the Caps Lock key completely unnecessary.

Personally, I don't see why that is. I agree it's in convenient place that could be used for other keys, but I am very much opposed to doing away with it completely.

Some people foolishly make the argument that doing away with the Caps Lock key might prevent idiots form typing in all caps. But really, do they think this is the only application for the key?



I use the Caps Lock key for just about any acronym with more than two capital letters. There are countless acronyms in today's computer age... It's also extremely useful for programming constants. Any true touch typist should not be forced to alternate between both shifts for acronyms that require both hands.

Why all the opposition? Why does Colemak's standard layout not include a Caps Lock? And why an entire program to do away with it?

[o2dazone]

Linux layout puts Control where Caps Lock is on the keyboard. I swapped Caps Lock with Control before I got an HHKB, and it made so much more sense. It was more comfortable, practical, and I never accidentally hit it. There's a lot of RAGE about people typing in caps, I never found my eyes straining to read them, although I've heard that typing in caps makes you read slower.

Addressing your question, I could not do away with a function entirely on a keyboard. I guess it all boils down to "Do you use it?". A lot of heat stems from a function issue, such as disabling Windows keys to prevent a full screen game from getting minimized, or having a keyboard without a numpad so you can hold your mouse closer to your keyboard. Honestly if you didn't switch Caps Lock with Control, then I don't really see the point of disabling it, unless you like the inside joke of hating caps lock "Ha Ha! Take that caps lock...I'll never use YOU aga...damnit, I just hit caps to type that", or maybe it's to spite the Caps Lock gods. Or if you accidentally hit it THAT often, that you have to disable it.

Even the minimalist HHKB has an option to turn it on.


edit: Personally speaking, I only use my right pinky when I'm uppercasing letters. The left shift gets it's use from shortcuts in applications, otherwise it just doesn't get used. EVEN WHEN I TYPE THIS I just hold the shift key down and type it out. I guess my right pinky just doesn't get used enough, and can afford to be pinned down when I need to type something in all caps

[itlnstln]

I use Caps Lock quite often.  I write a lot of SQL, and out of tradition, habit, etc., I write SQL in mainly all caps.  When typing normally, I don't find that it gets in the way, or that it would even be better served by being another function.  UNIX folks might disagree, and other keyboards (Topres, specifically) give you ways to remap the key, but overall I don't mind it.

[Viett]

Even the minimalist HHKB has an option to turn it on.

I definitely appreciate that the HHKB has the Caps available, and that the Topre allows the user to physically swap the Control and Caps, but there is no excuse when it comes to Colemak's layout. The default Colemak layout for Windows and Linux/Unix (Maybe Mac's too, I've never tested it) has no Caps Lock option.

Also, doing some additional reading in Colemak's forums, I stumbled upon this:

1) No Caps Lock at all:
- People without patience or being too skeptical may stop exploring on Colemak only because of this if they did not come across all the Colemak pros yet.
+ Weakens the usage of upper case.

It's tiring... enough of a reason to stop using Colemak altogether.

[JBert]

Again, I love "Portable Keyboard Layout" for its Colemak layout; it stuffs Caps Lock under Shift+Caps Lock and even the possibility of AltGr+Caps Lock.

Why the official layout doesn't offer some caps functionality is beyond my grasp. Maybe we should try to fix it one day and present it as ColeMAK on their forums. I'm pretty sure it can be done on Linux.

[D-EJ915]

Must be a holdover from gaming but I use the left shift every time I need a capital and almost never use the right one (I never use it for letters).  Caps lock was one of those dreaded keys (like win key) that pissed you off as well lol, hit caps lock and some stupid function would be enabled.  I don't really care if it's on the keyboard or not, stick it over next to scroll lock or insert or something.

[bigpook]

I swap the caps lock with the cntrl key. It just makes more sense as I use the ctrl key way more then I ever use caps lock. In fact, I never use caps lock. But thats me.
I also swap the escape and tilde key too.

[IBI]

Well colemak hasn't even bothered to offer an official UK layout or provide information on how their new layout actually installs so i wouldn't put too much weight on their decisions - it seems still experimental at the moment.

I never use it myself, most acronyms at the moment are only three or four letters - it's rare that you come across a UNIVAC any more, and these days it appears that TANSTAAFL isn't always true.

Certainly, part of the reason it's annoying is because some keyboards come with stupidly bright LEDs and while scroll lock is rarely needed and numlock is well out of the way, caps lock can be accidentally hit and cause you to be blinded. Another reason is that some games don't like binding it and won't properly surpress the signals so if you use it for anything you end up typing half of your messages lIKE THIS.

I think people just get annoyed at a badly placed key - if you were going to remove anything then scroll lock would be a good first choice, but because it's out of the way then nobody gives it a second thought.

[wellington1869]

is there an anti-capslock movement? There should be. That useless key takes up some really prime real estate on the keyboard.

naturally I swapped it with control. But even then the two-level key (how bizarre!) sucks (have to reach further over with the pinky because of the dumb two-levels) so I covered the key with some crayola putty to make it single level.

[itlnstln]

is there an anti-capslock movement? There should be. That useless key takes up some really prime real estate on the keyboard.
 
naturally I swapped it with control. But even then the two-level key (how bizarre!) sucks (have to reach further over with the pinky because of the dumb two-levels) so I covered the key with some crayola putty to make it single level.

D*mn, you're a little hostile to the Caps Lock key.  I find it very useful myself.

[wellington1869]

D*mn, you're a little hostile to the Caps Lock key.  I find it very useful myself.

lol, do you actually use it to lock caps?

Update: just saw your post above

You're definitely in a dying breed that actually locks caps and types in caps, lol.

Besides, there must be easier ways to do that than to take up a whole key in such a prime location. At the very least I'd be for moving it to some less used corner of the board. They should just change the standard board's specs to swap it permanently with control.

[wellington1869]

I also swap the escape and tilde key too.

thats actually a great idea.

[Stiggy]

I hardly use caps lock, tending to just hold down shift. I rarely press it by mistake either though.

As for its location - it belongs to the left of the 'A' with a small gap - just as it (well technically the 'shift-lock') was on the Imperial Model 50 I used to play with as a kid.

[msiegel]

every time i hit caps lock on this rubber-dome apple board, the led turns on and kills the usb connection. f****n' caps lock!

[bigpook]

thats actually a great idea.

I use the escape key more then the tilde key so it makes sense for me to swap them.
I am ok remapping the keys but I wish I could swap the actual caps lock and cntrl key.

[megarat]

I don't understand the nature of this argument, as i use the caps-lock key all the time.

[FunkTrooper]

Well colemak hasn't even bothered to offer an official UK layout or provide information on how their new layout actually installs so i wouldn't put too much weight on their decisions - it seems still experimental at the moment.

I made a UK version of Colemak for Windows here.  A UK version is included with new versions of X11 (the new Ubuntu 9.04 has it).

As for “how” Colemak installs, it's the same as any other Windows keyboard layout would install — it just gets added the keyboard layouts in Windows, and then you can select it from Regional and Language options (no, not Keyboard Settings).

[Manyak]

I use Caps Lock quite often.  I write a lot of SQL, and out of tradition, habit, etc., I write SQL in mainly all caps.  When typing normally, I don't find that it gets in the way, or that it would even be better served by being another function.  UNIX folks might disagree, and other keyboards (Topres, specifically) give you ways to remap the key, but overall I don't mind it.

This.

It's useless for normal typing, but great for programming. SQL is one example. I also use it a lot in PHP, C++ (with MFC), and when writing shell scripts.

[o2dazone]

You people with your antique keyboards and layout ***** fights... :popcorn:

webwit and his datahands

[Viett]

I hardly use caps lock, tending to just hold down shift. I rarely press it by mistake either though.

The problem with this is hitting capital letters like A, Z, and Q. Because your left pinky is on the shift, you have to use your ring finger, and this throws you off home row completely. It's very uncomfortable.

Again, I love "Portable Keyboard Layout" for its Colemak layout

Me too. Problem is that the AltGr and Shift + Caps combos are not available for the native Windows and Linux versions of the layout.

The ~ to Esc concept is a good one too. Thing is, I'd really like there to be decent standards for an alternative layout. It'd be great to select a layout upon installing an OS, like Linux with Colemak, and not get the BS of not having a Caps Lock key. I could always make my own layout, but it would be a burden to have to be running my own personal executable or script at whichever computer I use.

[Specter_57]

I've done a simple remap of the CapsLock key in the registry.

The CapsLock key is now a secondary (ie left-side) Enter Key...and the CapsLock key function has taken over the Windows Menu key, just beside the right-Ctrl key....and also set it up so that the CapsLock key is released by hitting any Shift Key.

Works for me.

...

What I would like to have as well, as found in the French AZERTY layout is to have a SHIFT-Lock key, as opposed to the CAPS-Lock key....ideally enabled by hitting the CapsLock Key + Shift Key together...so that it is one or the other.

So far no joy in figuring out how to implement it

Oh well.....

[Rajagra]

Thank the  typewriter for your caps lock ills.  On manual typewriters it actually lifts the carriage so you are typing the top characters on the type arms.

Hence the proper name: Shift Lock. It worked on all the number and punctuation keys too. I was quite annoyed that Caps Lock on PCs failed to perform this basic task.

If we must tolerate this abomination of a key, couldn't it at least do the job properly? All or nothing I say!!!:rant:

[Rajagra]

webwit and his datahands

Show Image

Webwit finds your lack of faith disturbing...

[D-EJ915]

Thank the  typewriter for your caps lock ills.  On manual typewriters it actually lifts the carriage so you are typing the top characters on the type arms.

Also -  notice the distinctive look of the key:

Show Image

The IBM engineers could have changed this with the first computer keyboards but didn't.

The original IBM pc keyboards did have the ctrl key in the proper place.  They moved it back because most of their customers were secretaries who amazingly enough used typewriters beforeh the PCs and didn't want to change.

[Hak Foo]

I note Commodore's small computers (at least the VIC 20 and 64) used a physical shift-lock key.  It would actually lock down.

I'd sort of like to see some PC keyboards like that, the physically locking key.

[xsphat]

I find the CapsLock key works best when remapped. I don't even use it all that often on my Royal. Until I started playing with manuals, I had no idea the punctuation keys got locked as well. I thought that was funny, since that killed the one thing I would have used the key for and that is master scene headings.

One other stupid thing about typewriters — why is the apostrophe (OMG I spelled it right on the first try!) shift+8? DUMB.

[IBI]

I made a UK version of Colemak for Windows here.  A UK version is included with new versions of X11 (the new Ubuntu 9.04 has it).

As for “how” Colemak installs, it's the same as any other Windows keyboard layout would install — it just gets added the keyboard layouts in Windows, and then you can select it from Regional and Language options (no, not Keyboard Settings).

Thanks for the information.

The problem with this is hitting capital letters like A, Z, and Q. Because your left pinky is on the shift, you have to use your ring finger, and this throws you off home row completely. It's very uncomfortable.

This doesn't seem to be too much of a problem to me. You're in North America aren't you? I wonder if this is down to the odd left shift key on the ANSI layout, have you ever gotton used to an ISO layout keyboard and did that suffer as much from this problem?

I note Commodore's small computers (at least the VIC 20 and 64) used a physical shift-lock key.  It would actually lock down.

I'd sort of like to see some PC keyboards like that, the physically locking key.

The Apple Extended Keyboard apparently does this as well so you could always get one of those and an iMate.

[Viett]

This doesn't seem to be too much of a problem to me. You're in North America aren't you? I wonder if this is down to the odd left shift key on the ANSI layout, have you ever gotton used to an ISO layout keyboard and did that suffer as much from this problem?

I don't see how adding an extra key would make it any easier. Either way your pinky is still occupied. The point is that you should be able to use the right shift with your left pinky for these letters, but with acronyms, you'd have to alternate shifts, which is incredibly tedious. This is where the Caps Lock comes in.

[bigpook]

Its not like saying get rid of the caps lock key entirely, its that the default location for it is less then ideal. moving it down to the lower left side where cntrl usually sits is a much better place for it. just saying.

[keyb_gr]

The Caps Lock key has gotten a lot more useful for me ever since I started remapping it. While I couldn't really get used to it as Ctrl (i.e. still didn't use it much), it's been serving brilliantly as a secondary backspace. (I mostly use it for going back in the browser, or forward with Shift-Backspace.) That position really deserves to be used for a commonly used function - which Caps Lock never was for me.

[Rajagra]

I mostly use it for going back in the browser, or forward with Shift-Backspace.

Do'h! I remapped my CS key as BS but never thought of using it that way! Thanks.

[ch_123]

Ubuntu (and any other GNOME-based Linux/UNIX system) allows you to swap CTRL and Caps lock quite easily, or even just replace Caps with a third control. I kind of like it being in the "proper" place on my Model F, but for gaming, I prefer a board with it in it's proper location.

[Rajagra]

CTL-SHF-T is my favorite.

Wow. I thought you needed the "Undo Closed Tabs Button" add-on to do that. It's amazing how often I use the feature.

[Viett]

Here's a follow up article for the Caps Lock key on Lifehacker. It's  a Fuction Lock sort of concept. I like the idea, however, his key bindings aren't the best. I would have remapped the standard WASD gaming cluster to the arrows, which would be great for left-handed only web browsing. Alt + arrows are Back/Forward in most browsers, control + arrows for moving word to word in text, and regular arrow movement for scrolling. Of course, I'd then move the actual Caps Lock somewhere else .

[Hyperion]

I use the capslock key as a backspace while the left windows I use as a capslock. Saves from accidentally dying in games and gives a much better position for the backspace key.

[keyb_gr]

Also, if you want ALL the gory details of the various evolution of the PC keyboard layouts see this.

• vote for inclusion in "keyboard links" wiki article!

[ch_123]

I've seen that site before, I really wonder what he was smoking when he came up with this.

[Specter_57]

Those keyboard colour combinations used to illustrate what is being discussed might be interesting as a basis for some real life keyboard colour layouts.

Stumbled across that page shortly after I found this site via the RIT dye thread, and have thought about it off and on ever since.

Spec57

[Specter_57]

That keyboard in the pic is hideous! ewwww....and if you like that video editing board..ha!! ...maybe you'll like this one too.... http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/3-7-years/b9a8/zoom/


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The few colored keycap boards you can find seem to coloured for the sake of being coloured, more a gimmick then anything useful....and gimmick priced to match....and no better than those crappy black or beige $5.00 keyboards that seem to be the norm nowadays.

If I ever do get around to doing a 'colour hack'..I'd want to do it so as to be logical and make some sense in the groupings vs colouring....as is seen on that keyboard discussion page.

Spec57

[D-EJ915]

Just don't take it to the extreme.

Show Image

The video  editing boards always looked interesting to me.

those stickers are the cutest things ever <3

[Viett]

I like the AHK script. I don't particularly like the HHKB's layout, but it's a step in the right direction. The only thing holding me back from making my own crazy layout is the fact that I believe there should be some level of standards when it comes to key layouts.

[ricercar]

CapsLock is the work of the devil. If a workplace forces me to use a membrane keyboard above my overt objections, the first thing I do is rip off the CapsLock with abandon. I haven't committed vandalism in front of anyone yet, but some days I'm tempted to.

That said, I do use CapsLock often enough in professional technical writing that I don't disable it electronically. Removing the keycap such that I have to activate CapsLock with malice aforethought is sufficient to keep the beast at bay.

My personal keyboards tend to have the key removed with care and stored in a top drawer. My Kinesis, an odd-man out, keeps the CapsLock key because I've NEVER struck it by mistake.

[Xuan]

I HATE CAPS LOCK IT'S THE WORST KEY EVER!!!

edit: Now it looks better.

[ch_123]

If I were designing a layout, I'd move Caps lock to Scroll lock, and make scroll lock Alt+Caps. Probably put either Control or Backspace in its place.

[msiegel]

...and from USA Today article "Who moved my 'Delete' key? Lenovo did. Here's why.":

"The new keyboard isn't perfect. [Lenovo executive] Hill called "Caps Lock" a frustrating hangover from typewriter days, a key that can introduce garble, emulate shouting or foil password entries without the user noticing.

"I think maybe sometime in the future, we should maybe entertain removing it," he said. "It's one of those things you kind of have to approach with caution. There might be some people out there who just really like their 'Caps Lock' key for whatever reason.""



http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2009-06-26-delete-key_N.htm

[timw4mail]

I hate Caps lock...I'd rather just not have a key there...because...what do you use it for? I use shift...and only shift. I find it easier to just hold down shift as long as I need to type something in capital letters and then let go, than to toggle Caps Lock, and then remember to untoggle it.

At least on the Model M they had the sense to make sure the Caps Lock key didn't extend full-height to the "a" key.

[Hak Foo]

I hate the way they're taking it out on Insert a lot lately.  Some keyboards, they give you double-height delete, and move insert somewhere-- where I'm never sure-- perhaps it's gone entirely.

I long ago learned shift-insert for paste, and find it very frustrating to change.

[ch_123]

Paste is CTRL-V for me, I think Shift-Insert is some kind of Windows thing. And I used to have a problem where I'd somehow manage to hit Insert every now and again causing all sorts of problems. They really should have some kind of "Insert Lock" light on keyboards

As for Lenovo and the extra large escape... Come on guys, you know where it really belongs...

[Viett]

I hate Caps lock...I'd rather just not have a key there...because...what do you use it for?

I use the Caps Lock key for just about any acronym with more than two capital letters. There are countless acronyms in today's computer age... It's also extremely useful for programming constants. Any true touch typist should not be forced to alternate between both shifts for acronyms that require both hands.

I agree, it's not the most important key, and perhaps a better key can go in its place, but it definitely needs to be somewhere, because there are some of us that depend on it.

i hate comic sans it's the worst font ever!!!

Agreed.

I long ago learned shift-insert for paste, and find it very frustrating to change.

Same here. I used it when I started typing Dvorak. It's nice to have a paste shortcut that always works, because I change between layouts frequently (gaming/every day typing).

[Shawn Stanford]

I have it mapped to Fn-Tab like the HHKB - works great and easy to remember (Ctrl-tab on a normal keyboard using my AutoHotkey script).  You're not going to hit that accidentally.

It occurs to me that if the Caps Lock key is removed, then the functionality will be removed from the OS and eventually it will require far more work than simply creating a macro to map Ctrl-Tab to Caps Lock. I think it is a key with a purpose, but that it owns far move valuable real estate than it rates. I could see pushing the Backspace key over there and putting twoadditional alphanumeric keys where the Backspace is (Like: whatever happened to the cents sign, or that bent line doohickey that lives over the '6' on a terminal keyboard?).