does anyone use the 'insert' key on their kb's?

[charrison]

I use the insert key a thousand times a day,

CTRL and Shift+insert is my preferred method of copy/paste.

Old habits die hard.

 

[CZroe]

Pause Break. What the hell does it even do?

n00b

Do some command line work. Batch scripting. DOS games. It'll get some use.

Honestly, you've never halted a quick BIOS' POST to read what it said? You must have a hard time being a techie.

 

[Iron Woode]

I'm still trying to find the 'any' key.

 

[quakefiend420]

*Looks down at keyboard*

...

HOLY SHIT THIS KEY EXISTS.

seriously...i had no idea

 

[CZroe]

*Looks down at keyboard*

...

HOLY SHIT THIS KEY EXISTS.

I call it "the menu key."

 

[PepePeru]

very seldom.

 

[meltdown75]

once in a while i will hit in on accident while hammering the backspace key and typeover will be engaged. so i hit it again because i'm more of an "insert" type of guy :awe:

 

[BurnItDwn]

"Not move hands as much?" You must have small hands. I'm a touch typist and my hands don't move from the "home position" unless I'm typing the number keys up top...never did get the muscle memory going for those keys.

Ehh, fingers are a bit on the short side here. Also, If I'm using the mouse, I can type with just my left hand at a semi decent rate...

Anyhow, it's really not measurably significantly "better" than the QWERTY layout, I've just gotten accustomed to it, and have never had the motivation to switch back.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

*Looks down at keyboard*

...

HOLY SHIT THIS KEY EXISTS.

can't tell if all these posts are srs. or sarcasm.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Ctrl-Shift-Enter

Nice, I didn't know that one. I'll still use the menu key for other things too like, for example, start-->'movies'-->menu key-->open file location

 

[LittleNemoNES]

right alt + scroll lock = useless

 

[Ichinisan]

right alt + scroll lock = useless

NO.

The right alt is used all the time for one-handed key shortcuts when I'm not typing.

For instance, Alt-Enter for full-screen on SO MANY media apps. Alt-Enter for file/folder properties. Alt+LeftArrow or Alt+RightArrow for Prev/Next when a web browser is open. I sometimes use it for Alt-Space to access the control box if I'm reaching for the keyboard. Win+Alt+Enter launches the Media Center interface and I use it all the time with my Bluetooth keyboard.

Would you say the right shift key is useless? I use it all the time for one-handed Shift+Delete (bypass recycle bin and permanently delete)...and I use both Shift keys for capitalization because I'm a touch typist.

Apple keyboards PISS ME OFF because Apple doesn't think the Alt keys belong on either side of the spacebar and they put their own special key there instead.

 

[bhanson]

other seldom used keys for me:

scroll lock (only to disable when i accidentally press it)
the 'right click' key (next to the right windows key)
pause/break (once in a blue moon during POST)

Pause/break and gets mapped to a lot of useful stuff in programs so I use it.

The menu key (right-click) I use very often. When typing it's faster to push that then move your hand all the way to the mouse and right-click.

Scroll lock gets bound to stuff in programs too. I bought a wireless keyboard a few months ago and it's missing a scroll lock key. I had to rebind several bindings in my software to accommodate.

The worthless key on the entire (default) keyboard is the caps lock imo. For as long as I can remember I've switched left control and caps lock like on those older terminal keyboards.

 

[Imp]

I always accidentally hit it, then when I'm typing it starts overwriting my shit, then I get pissed off and contemplate tearing the key out.

 

[dawp]

It's simply fast than having to reach over to the mouse. tho at work it's just shift-insert to paste.

 

[MovingTarget]

Pause/break - use quite a lot for system properties
scroll lock - only for kvm use
insert - FUCKING USELESS
right click key - so thats what that does?

 

[CZroe]

Speaking of the Pause/Break key, one of my condensed keyboards has "Pause" on one key and "Break" on another. That's how I know that the system properties shortcut is specifically Win+Break and not Win+Pause/Break.

Pause/break and gets mapped to a lot of useful stuff in programs so I use it.

The menu key (right-click) I use very often. When typing it's faster to push that then move your hand all the way to the mouse and right-click.

Scroll lock gets bound to stuff in programs too. I bought a wireless keyboard a few months ago and it's missing a scroll lock key. I had to rebind several bindings in my software to accommodate.

The worthless key on the entire (default) keyboard is the caps lock imo. For as long as I can remember I've switched left control and caps lock like on those older terminal keyboards.

Agreed. I think the only time I've ever deliberately used it is when I was anal about case when entering CD keys (wasn't case-sensitive). I set it to toggle mute on my cramped netbook so I didn't have to hit the FN key and hunt for it.

MovingTarget - FUCKING USELESS

FTFY
You need to learn to use that key.

 

[MovingTarget]

Speaking of the Pause/Break key, one of my condensed keyboards has "Pause" on one key and "Break" on another. That's how I know that the system properties shortcut is specifically Win+Break and not Win+Pause/Break.



Agreed. I think the only time I've ever deliberately used it is when I was anal about case when entering CD keys (wasn't case-sensitive). I set it to toggle mute on my cramped netbook so I didn't have to hit the FN key and hunt for it.


FTFY
You need to learn to use that key.

You shouldn't need it unless you are using a typewriter or old fashioned word proscessor. It is as obsolete as mechanical correction fluid.

 

[CZroe]

You shouldn't need it unless you are using a typewriter or old fashioned word proscessor. It is as obsolete as mechanical correction fluid.

Bull. I use it all the time. For example, just yesterday I started working at a new site and they expect me to fill out my forms electronically. The forms have spaces for name and date and such, but do not take advantage of input fields and automatic date generation. They aren't mine to modify.

For example, when I click in the "name" area, it just puts my insertion point smack-dab in the middle of a bunch of underscores. When I start typing my name it appears underlined due to formatting but the underscores themselves begin to move right and then do a line-return, which requires me to start pressing the delete key many times to restore the page to it's original layout. The same thing goes for the previous guy's name on my form, the date, time, etc. Rather than spend extra time correcting everything after putting in each bit of info, I simply engage OVR and overtype the underscores.

Now, tell me: WTF kind of typewriter are you thinking of? Even the ones that could do it would be incredibly wasteful to use their correction ribbon for such a thing. This is a feature that came about because of electronic word processing, so you have it completely backwards. Don't knock it. Learn it and use it.

 

[ForumMaster]

On my keyboard, the insert key is in the place of the scroll lock...and to use scroll lock, i must enable the special functions for the F keys be clicking the f mode button.

Logitech realized that the insert button is rarely used. You can't get rid of it, so they moved it.

ps. Have an MX3000 set...

 

[GeekDrew]

Of all of the keys on an IBM Model M, I'm not sure that I've ever used Pause/Break, and I rarely use Scroll Lock. All others see fairly frequent use.

Overwrite mode (generally triggered by the Insert key) should be immediately removed from every application, everywhere. I can't think of a single time where I have wanted to use overwrite... ever. Using it is always unintentional and annoying as hell.