What is the Shift key on a numpad for?

[Lunatique]

I have an Adesso numeric keypad that has an Shift key at the top along with Tab, Backspace, and Print Screen. What do people use that Shift key for? And why the hell would there be a Print Screen key on a numpad?

In case you want to see it, it's this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0038KN3YY/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_3?colid=1ETA28YWFUW5L&coliid=ISFIXIT84Q6HP

[tp4tissue]

I guess.. If you had to type capital letters on the Left-Hand without moving your hand away from the numpad

like  shift - qwertasdfgzxbcv    ,  then this would provide that function..

[Oobly]

Looks like it's for hardcore accountants and Excel addicts, poor sods. Allows you to do as tp said and also Tab and backspace while doing heavy numerical spreadsheet type stuff.

In order to capture your financial awesomeness with more than just a memory you can use PrintScreen to create a screenshot to use a background for your PC.

[Lunatique]

Yeah...useless then. A Leopold numpad is going to replace it soon.

[Snowdog993]

In order to capture your financial awesomeness with more than just a memory you can use PrintScreen to create a screenshot to use a background for your PC.

That made me laugh!  I can imagine some guy in some accounting department getting this "Eureka!" moment.  The ultimate desktop background.

[RoflCopter4]

Maybe after long, long hours tick away and tick away and the Stockholm syndrome starts kicking in the numbers start to take on some kind of a twisted beauty that can only be captured by awkward screenshots and shared with other mental patients accountants.

[Macsmasher]

I have an Adesso numeric keypad that has an Shift key at the top along with Tab, Backspace, and Print Screen. What do people use that Shift key for? And why the hell would there be a Print Screen key on a numpad?

In case you want to see it, it's this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0038KN3YY/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_3?colid=1ETA28YWFUW5L&coliid=ISFIXIT84Q6HP

That is so funny. My review on that numpad is the top one entitled 'Larry H. on November 5, 2012'. (That's my real name...don't tell anybody.) Anyway, I ended up getting a RF 23U and can't begin to express how much better it is.

As a coder, I don't really need a tenkey since I'm comfortable using the top row number keys for most things. But...there are times when a numpad comes in handy and I'm fast with a tenkey (from my CAD days). I thought about getting the Filco numpad, but just decided to get the RF. Can't go wrong there, and I had already had a bad experience with the Adesso. Just didn't want to spend the time messing around with something else that may not work for me.

And again...sorry for jumping your sh!t on that other post. Must've been on the rag that night. Either that, or it was the whisky.

[jacobolus]

Here’s a real serious numpad:



That Adesso is for amateurs.

[Oobly]

Here’s a real serious numpad:

Show Image

Show Image

That Adesso is for amateurs.

Hah hah hah. That’s not a numpad.

THAT’S a numpad:

[jacobolus]

Once it includes a full QWERTY keyboard, navigation keys, a touchpad + buttons, and (not pictured but required) a card swiper + a whole cash register full of cash, I think the name “numpad” no longer applies.

[Oobly]

Once it includes a full QWERTY keyboard, navigation keys, a touchpad + buttons, and (not pictured but required) a card swiper + a whole cash register full of cash, I think the name “numpad” no longer applies.

Party pooper.

I actually do see the value in a good mechanical numpad unit (separate), but I don't use them personally.

[HalfSharkAlligator]

Once it includes a full QWERTY keyboard, navigation keys, a touchpad + buttons, and (not pictured but required) a card swiper + a whole cash register full of cash, I think the name “numpad” no longer applies.

Party pooper.

I actually do see the value in a good mechanical numpad unit (separate), but I don't use them personally.

I use them at work all the time, couldn't live without it.  I don't like a full-size keyboard due to size, I use either a TKL or 60% on my desk, but the keypad is just tucked under the front of my monitor and i slide it down when i need to enter a bunch of numbers.  I frequently am entering thigns into a spreadsheet for tracking, or entering IP addresses, etc, so it's really helpful.  I have two Leopold numpads actually, in two different color combos of course 

[Lunatique]

I don't know whether to feel sorry for the people who need those insane numbpads for ANY reason, or to be jealous of them. 

That is so funny. My review on that numpad is the top one entitled 'Larry H. on November 5, 2012'. (That's my real name...don't tell anybody.) Anyway, I ended up getting a RF 23U and can't begin to express how much better it is.

As a coder, I don't really need a tenkey since I'm comfortable using the top row number keys for most things. But...there are times when a numpad comes in handy and I'm fast with a tenkey (from my CAD days). I thought about getting the Filco numpad, but just decided to get the RF. Can't go wrong there, and I had already had a bad experience with the Adesso. Just didn't want to spend the time messing around with something else that may not work for me.

And again...sorry for jumping your sh!t on that other post. Must've been on the rag that night. Either that, or it was the whisky.

Already forgotten. You my homie now, cuz I actually read your amazon review and wondered how worried I should be about the nonstandard layout. I should have heeded your warning in that review, but I decided to get it anyway since it was cheap, and thinking I could get use to the layout. But nooooope. Not gonna happen. That plus key alone drives me nuts, let alone the numlock, Esc, Backspace, etc.

I'm waiting for my red Leopole 21-key to arrive, and I've got the Retro keycaps set coming soon too. The result will have the top row in white, and the rest in Retro. Should be pretty nice looking--I did a Photoshop mockup and it looked pretty good:


Maybe changing the white row to black might look better though.

I was tempted by the RealForce numpad, but at half the price of the 87U, my pragmatic side was slapping me upside the head repeatedly until I dropped that thought. 

[Macsmasher]

I don't know whether to feel sorry for the people who need those insane numbpads for ANY reason, or to be jealous of them. 

That is so funny. My review on that numpad is the top one entitled 'Larry H. on November 5, 2012'. (That's my real name...don't tell anybody.) Anyway, I ended up getting a RF 23U and can't begin to express how much better it is.

As a coder, I don't really need a tenkey since I'm comfortable using the top row number keys for most things. But...there are times when a numpad comes in handy and I'm fast with a tenkey (from my CAD days). I thought about getting the Filco numpad, but just decided to get the RF. Can't go wrong there, and I had already had a bad experience with the Adesso. Just didn't want to spend the time messing around with something else that may not work for me.

And again...sorry for jumping your sh!t on that other post. Must've been on the rag that night. Either that, or it was the whisky.

Already forgotten. You my homie now, cuz I actually read your amazon review and wondered how worried I should be about the nonstandard layout. I should have heeded your warning in that review, but I decided to get it anyway since it was cheap, and thinking I could get use to the layout. But nooooope. Not gonna happen. That plus key alone drives me nuts, let alone the numlock, Esc, Backspace, etc.

I'm waiting for my red Leopole 21-key to arrive, and I've got the Retro keycaps set coming soon too. The result will have the top row in white, and the rest in Retro. Should be pretty nice looking--I did a Photoshop mockup and it looked pretty good:

(Attachment Link)
Maybe changing the white row to black might look better though.

I was tempted by the RealForce numpad, but at half the price of the 87U, my pragmatic side was slapping me upside the head repeatedly until I dropped that thought. 

I like the mock-up because of the different colors. I'm a big believer in using color to help productivity. When attempting to be productive, I see color a lot faster than reading key inscriptions. Just glancing at my input device is all I need with color differences indicating where to start. Once there, I'm on my way. Adding to that point, having a layout that a user knows, or can at least adapt to, helps the productivity.


I like the colors you've selected. I could go white or black on the top row from a productivity standpoint, but I like the looks of the white on the top row. However, if you're like me, you'll switch them up just to keep to keep things from getting boring hahaha.


Let us know how you like it. For whatever reason, stand-alone numpad layouts vary a lot more than numpads on full-sized keyboard layouts. I didn't realize that at the time I bought the Adesso. Live and learn.


One guy responded recently to my review saying that I was imposing upon the reller, in that I returned it without the packaging. I can't argue against that point. Maybe I should have just tossed it and bought what I needed. Oh well. Just one more mistake in judgement on my part. 

[Snowdog993]

I'm waiting for my red Leopole 21-key to arrive, and I've got the Retro keycaps set coming soon too. The result will have the top row in white, and the rest in Retro. Should be pretty nice looking--I did a Photoshop mockup and it looked pretty good:

(Attachment Link)
Maybe changing the white row to black might look better though.

I do actually like that layout for a numpad.  I suppose if I get a 10-keyless keyboard, I would get that to compliment it.  I'd feel comfortable using that.

[Lunatique]

I like the mock-up because of the different colors. I'm a big believer in using color to help productivity. When attempting to be productive, I see color a lot faster than reading key inscriptions. Just glancing at my input device is all I need with color differences indicating where to start. Once there, I'm on my way. Adding to that point, having a layout that a user knows, or can at least adapt to, helps the productivity.


I like the colors you've selected. I could go white or black on the top row from a productivity standpoint, but I like the looks of the white on the top row. However, if you're like me, you'll switch them up just to keep to keep things from getting boring hahaha.


Let us know how you like it. For whatever reason, stand-alone numpad layouts vary a lot more than numpads on full-sized keyboard layouts. I didn't realize that at the time I bought the Adesso. Live and learn.


One guy responded recently to my review saying that I was imposing upon the reller, in that I returned it without the packaging. I can't argue against that point. Maybe I should have just tossed it and bought what I needed. Oh well. Just one more mistake in judgement on my part. 

We're totally on the same page regarding color-coding keys for productivity. I might have gone overboard with my attempt though, and NO ONE liked my approach: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=67650.0   )

I ended up getting the Retro set.

...

I read that guy's comment, and he does have a point. I guess you could have harvested the switches and keycaps of the Adesso, or used it with another computer that's using a TKL (or a laptop). I personally like having a numpad because I use it a lot when doing content creation such as audio/visual editing software, where I have to enter numbers for things like photo exposure level, white balance, shadow/highlight recovery, etc, or synthesizer programming parameters. Even just something mundane like doing my taxes or everyday math is much more convenient/comfortable with a numpad than the numbers row.

I just tried putting some of the Adesso's keycaps on the Leopold (Tab and Backspace), and the Adesso's profile is higher so they stick out a bit. Doesn't bother me too much since it's almost like another visual differentiating element, and when staggered with the lower profile default white keys of the Leopold, it's Esc (white/low), Tab (black/high), Equal (white/low), Backspace (black/high). It's not too bad actually, since it's just an isolated short row of 4 keys. Maybe I'll keep my Adesso instead of returning it like you did.

[Hyde]

I'm surprised no one has explained what the shift is for.

Shift on alpha capitalize letters.  Caps Lock toggle it on and off.

Shift on num pad access the 2nd layer functions such as Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Ins, Del, Arrow Keys... etc.  Num Lock toggles it on and off.

And putting a shift there is probably just in case you want a quick delete or home/end.  Might be hard to access arrows with one hand while you have one fingers on shift.

Though in general I still prefer num pad layout looking EXACTLY like their full size versions.

[Lunatique]

I'm surprised no one has explained what the shift is for.

Shift on alpha capitalize letters.  Caps Lock toggle it on and off.

Shift on num pad access the 2nd layer functions such as Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Ins, Del, Arrow Keys... etc.  Num Lock toggles it on and off.

And putting a shift there is probably just in case you want a quick delete or home/end.  Might be hard to access arrows with one hand while you have one fingers on shift.

Though in general I still prefer num pad layout looking EXACTLY like their full size versions.

I thought about that, but I didn't think that was the reason since the shift is placed at such an inconvenient spot on the numpad. But then I was trying it with my left hand with the numpad on my left side. If used with the right hand, then that Shift makes a lot more sense. Mystery solved, I guess.

[HalfSharkAlligator]

I'm waiting for my red Leopole 21-key to arrive, and I've got the Retro keycaps set coming soon too. The result will have the top row in white, and the rest in Retro. Should be pretty nice looking--I did a Photoshop mockup and it looked pretty good:

(Attachment Link)
Maybe changing the white row to black might look better though.

Which keycap set is that?  Is there a current GB?

[CPTBadAss]

I'm waiting for my red Leopole 21-key to arrive, and I've got the Retro keycaps set coming soon too. The result will have the top row in white, and the rest in Retro. Should be pretty nice looking--I did a Photoshop mockup and it looked pretty good:

(Attachment Link)
Maybe changing the white row to black might look better though.

Which keycap set is that?  Is there a current GB?

Retro DSA. The first run is now over and I don't think there has been a round 2.

[HalfSharkAlligator]

Retro DSA. The first run is now over and I don't think there has been a round 2.

Thanks much - looks pretty good. I'll have to keep an eye on the classifieds.  I'm also pursuing the 1976 interest check in the GB's right now too. Very unique. 

[Lunatique]

Here's a page with some nice photos of the Retro set:
http://keypuller.com/dsa-retro/

I just finished putting them on today and took a bunch of photos. Loving it so far. DSA profile takes some getting used to (my first), but once I've typed on it for a bit, it no longer feels odd. Funny thing is, all the typical rubber dome keyboards I've used throughout my life are all just flat profiles too, so the DSA Retro set shouldn't have felt so odd at first, but I think it's because I'm now so used to mechanical switches being in the OEM profile that having blue Cherry switches in DSA profile really threw me off. Now that I've gotten used to it, I can't really say it's better or worse--it's just what it is. If had to choose though, I think having different angles and heights in each row does feel more ergonomic than all flat keys. I did typing tests and the DSA profile didn't make me type any worse though--I was getting the same WPM and number of mistakes (average around 75 WPM with two to three mistakes).