I was just reading this thread… https://sh.itjust.works/post/23476261

…and it got me thinking about something that I’ve wanted for a long time. Why is it that keyboards have not evolved to have dedicated copy/paste keys left of the main board? I’d love to see an additional column of keys left of Esc->Ctrl configurable as macros at least. I do a lot of copy/paste for work. The current shortcuts arent terrible or anything but they’re not exactly comfortable. I’d rather move my whole hand to the left for a macro key than contort to hit the current shortcut.

What do you think?

  • vededju@lemmy.world
    6·
    11 months ago

    I guarantee I can hit ctrl-c faster than I can move my hand to a different part of the keyboard.

  • Tattorack@lemmy.world
    2·
    11 months ago

    Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V have been so burned into my muscle memory, relearning to use just a single dedicated button might actually be more trouble for me than just using the standard hotkeys.

      • AnokLola@lemm.ee
        01·
        11 months ago

        Yes, it’s weird, but maybe he does a lot. For example, I use the superkey+space to change the keyboard layout about five times per minute, but I changed it to use the Caps Lock key to change the keyboard layout instead.

  • confusedbytheBasics@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I don’t know about that but I think we need two clipboards, standard. If we had the existing clipboard and a second with dedicated keys that would be very helpful.

    • Nibodhika@lemmy.world
      1·
      11 months ago

      Linux has sort of two clipboards. There’s the normal Ctrl-c/Ctrl-v one and also if you highlight a text you can paste that text using middle mouse button.

  • Cruxus@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    1·
    11 months ago

    At some point, the populace felt keyboard shortcuts were enough and they have everything else they need on a keyboard. It’s the standard, other keyboard designs didn’t really quite take off, and most people can barely use a full-sized keyboard anyway.

    Some people prefer smaller keyboards, and are willing (and wanting) to have more shortcuts and function layers for ergonomic and desk space reasons.

    (If you use a 40% or smaller keyboard, you’re weird, and I love/hate you.)

    Some other people use so many shortcuts that it becomes so infeasible to remember or press them all, so they get macro pads, or even entire additional keyboards to function as macro pads.

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
      01·
      11 months ago

      In the Before Time, there were physical keyboard overlays for specific apps. For example Wordperfect had an overlay that showed it’s keyboard functions.

  • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    If I was an evil peripheral manufacturer, I’d not only add keys to copy and paste, but I’d add them to the mouse too.

    Then I’d have a small display in the keyboard that showed the last five things you copied, and let you select which one you’d paste.

    That way users would get used to it, have to buy my gratuitously expensive peripherals with displays in them for no reason, and then not know how to use anything else.

  • HipsterTenZero@dormi.zone
    1·
    11 months ago

    Mm, I wouldn’t hate it. It could take the place of the scroll lock and pause break buttons on my keyboard, two keys i’ve literally never used.

  • stoy@lemmy.zip
    1·
    11 months ago

    Meh, Ctrl+C Ctrl+V works well.

    What I really would like is a Compose key.

    The concept is brilliant, you use it with a special key combination to “draw” a special character or symbol.

    If you wanted to type a copyright symbol you would hold the Compose key and press O and C in order, then release the compose key.

    Here is a list of a few characters with their compose key combinations, every combo is pressed in order while holding the compose key.

    To get the letter Ä use " and A

    To get the letter Å use o and A

    To get the letter Ö use " and O

    To get the letter Æ use A and E

    To get the symbol ¿ use ? and ?

    To get the symbol ¡ use ! and !

    To get the symbol ® use O and R

    To get the symbol ™ use T and M

    To get the symbol € use C and =

    To get the symbol £ use L and -

    There are plenty more combinations…

    I have never used a computer with a compose key, but I love the concept of drawing other characters like this.

    • msage@programming.dev
      1·
      11 months ago

      Yes, finally someone else who appretiates compose key!

      I use Linux, so I remap it on every PC I use, when I have right context key, I remap that, otherwise I remap right Ctrl to compose.

      It’s so good, specially for using US keymap to write in other european languages. At first it takes a bit, then it’s second nature.

  • weew@lemmy.ca
    1·
    11 months ago

    Oh man, you were born too late for the wild 90s era of experimental keyboards

    • weeeeum@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      While it doesn’t have a copy and paste key, my omnikey ultra is certainly wacky.

  • lycanrising@lemmy.world
    0·
    11 months ago

    I have a mouse that happens to have two extra buttons off to the side and mapping those to ‘copy’ and ‘paste’ has been the best thing i’ve ever done for my productivity. Also mapping middle mouse button to ‘screenshot to clipboard’ but that’s just a personal thing i happen to do a lot