OKAY, WHY THE FVCK DO WE HAVE 'insert' KEYS?

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
:|:frown::eek:

That said, i hate them, can see no use for them, and am wondering if i can simply remove the key from the keyboard...?
 

Continuity28

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2005
1,653
0
76
The insert key had its uses before mice were used.

Imagine a screen with only text, no cursor. This is how it was back then, and editing documents in certain areas would be beneficial with an insert key.

The alternative is to delete many keys and then type the right ones instead of simply replacing them with the right ones.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
Originally posted by: Nik
How else would you turn off Insert if you didn't have a key to push? ;)

:laugh:

Cheers continuity :beer:, thats what i had kinda figured.
 

Continuity28

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2005
1,653
0
76
Originally posted by: daniel1113
Most worthless key ever... definitely needs to be removed from modern keyboads.

The keyboard is one of the oldest components still existing for PCs, the amount of keys is rarely changed because many old computers are still in existance. Backward compatibility is paramount for this input device.
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
I actually use SHIFT + Insert about as much as I use Ctrl + V.

On occassion I will use Insert.
 

Continuity28

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2005
1,653
0
76
Originally posted by: dighn
I've used it occasionally

now scroll lock... there's a useless key

Again, also a remnant of the past. Arrow keys weren't on the keyboard for that long, comparitavely. Num Lock seen its biggest role before mice were used and before the arrow keys. The numpad is normally used to input numbers, when num lock is off, however, the numbers 2,4,6, and 8 become arrows.

Imagine reading a document without a mouse and without arrow keys or even a window with a scroll bar to tab on. That's when you'd use this function.

Most programs today assign nothing to scroll lock (and insert for that matter).

EDITED: I was talking about Num Lock, read further for my bit on scroll lock.
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: Continuity28
Originally posted by: dighn
I've used it occasionally

now scroll lock... there's a useless key

Again, also a remnant of the past. Arrow keys weren't on the keyboard for that long, comparitavely. Scroll Lock seen its biggest role before mice were used and before the arrow keys. The numpad is normally used to input numbers, when scroll lock is on, however, the numbers 2,4,6, and 8 become arrows in order to scroll the page you are on.

Imagine reading a document without a mouse and without arrow keys or even a window with a scroll bar to tab on. That's when you'd use this function.

Most programs today assign nothing to scroll lock (and insert for that matter).

Then wtf did Num Lock do?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
you have to have a key to move between insert and typeover mode.

I mean that key is as important as the delete key.
 

Continuity28

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2005
1,653
0
76
Originally posted by: BigJ
Originally posted by: Continuity28
Originally posted by: dighn
I've used it occasionally

now scroll lock... there's a useless key

Again, also a remnant of the past. Arrow keys weren't on the keyboard for that long, comparitavely. Scroll Lock seen its biggest role before mice were used and before the arrow keys. The numpad is normally used to input numbers, when scroll lock is on, however, the numbers 2,4,6, and 8 become arrows in order to scroll the page you are on.

Imagine reading a document without a mouse and without arrow keys or even a window with a scroll bar to tab on. That's when you'd use this function.

Most programs today assign nothing to scroll lock (and insert for that matter).

Then wtf did Num Lock do?

Yeah I meant Num Lock, sorry.

Scroll lock is for the arrow keys that came later.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: BigJ
Originally posted by: Continuity28
Originally posted by: dighn
I've used it occasionally

now scroll lock... there's a useless key

Again, also a remnant of the past. Arrow keys weren't on the keyboard for that long, comparitavely. Scroll Lock seen its biggest role before mice were used and before the arrow keys. The numpad is normally used to input numbers, when scroll lock is on, however, the numbers 2,4,6, and 8 become arrows in order to scroll the page you are on.

Imagine reading a document without a mouse and without arrow keys or even a window with a scroll bar to tab on. That's when you'd use this function.

Most programs today assign nothing to scroll lock (and insert for that matter).

Then wtf did Num Lock do?

It locked the number pad to use only numbers. Much, much, much faster that way.
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: BigJ
Originally posted by: Continuity28
Originally posted by: dighn
I've used it occasionally

now scroll lock... there's a useless key

Again, also a remnant of the past. Arrow keys weren't on the keyboard for that long, comparitavely. Scroll Lock seen its biggest role before mice were used and before the arrow keys. The numpad is normally used to input numbers, when scroll lock is on, however, the numbers 2,4,6, and 8 become arrows in order to scroll the page you are on.

Imagine reading a document without a mouse and without arrow keys or even a window with a scroll bar to tab on. That's when you'd use this function.

Most programs today assign nothing to scroll lock (and insert for that matter).

Then wtf did Num Lock do?

It locked the number pad to use only numbers. Much faster that way.

Yes. And when you took Num Lock off, the numbers became the arrow keys.

Continutity said that the Num Pad was affected by Scroll Lock. So Num Lock would have the same purpose as Scroll Lock? :confused:

EDIT: Saw his most recent post. There we go.
 

Continuity28

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2005
1,653
0
76
As for scroll lock, I'll better explain that.

Imagine you're looking at a document. Normally, pressing the DOWN arrow would move a line down, allowing you to edit that line. In the past, Scroll Lock would make it so that the whole screen would scroll, without moving the area in which you are to type.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,366
1,879
126
The insert key is very usefull. IMO all the keys on the old 101 key keyboards except for scroll lock are usefull. And even then, many of the modern KVMs use the insert key in their routine to switch between boxes.

Now those silly windows keys, those are useless. But at least you can buy keyboards that don't have those...
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
meh, I still maintain that the insert key is extremely important.

Nobody wants to be in insert mode all the time.