Any way to turn off the @%$@!&* Forward and Backward Key

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iriverconvert · #1 Post by **iriverconvert** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:55 pm

I was typing an email, a good email, the kind where everything just flows- and it was an important one to boot, when I tried to hit the left arrow key to go back in my message and the

back key above the left arrow key was hit instead! I lost ALL of my message and when I went back to where I was (forward in the browser) it was all GONE. ALL... EFFING... GONE.

Is there any way to turn off or better yet re-map these two useless pieces of IBM schlitt? I am very [censored] about this.

Thank you in helping me resolve my inner

demons.

IriverConvert

scottv · #2 Post by **scottv** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:57 am

Not only that, but WHAT is the purpose of these two keys anyway?
I can't understand the need for them. It's not like you can surf the web with those two keys.

cakos · #3 Post by **cakos** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:40 am

I'd rather have page up and down key instead! or even better: begin and end keys!

Steve007 · #4 Post by **Steve007** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:09 am

iriverconvert wrote:Is there any way to turn off or better yet re-map these two useless pieces of IBM schlitt? I am very [censored] about this.

No idea why you're blaming the keys, it was you that hit the back key after all! I've never made this error so I can only assume you have the hands of an ogre

puco · #5 Post by **puco** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 5:12 am

Fortunately I use Opera and the keys don't work there

cakos · #6 Post by **cakos** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 5:24 am

and the backspace key is so useful.....

siut · #7 Post by **siut** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:35 am

I use a program call Key Tweak to remap the right control key to the Windows key.

The link is:
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?KeyTweak

Hope it helps.

Humpa · #8 Post by **Humpa** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:14 am

iriverconvert, to remap those IBM specific back and forward keys, you will probably want to use the IBM keyboard customizer utility instead of a third party one.

But to remap a "normal" key (like the Windows key), there is no need to have an application running:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=2690

Kenn · #9 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:43 am

Steve007 wrote:
iriverconvert wrote:Is there any way to turn off or better yet re-map these two useless pieces of IBM schlitt? I am very [censored] about this.
No idea why you're blaming the keys, it was you that hit the back key after all! I've never made this error so I can only assume you have the hands of an ogre

The fact that he hit the key is not inconsistent with an allegation that the keys are poorly placed or useless (at least for his own tastes).

atlacatl · #10 Post by **atlacatl** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:44 am

I think those keys are great! I use them all the time...No other laptop has them...It's so ThinkPad

Don't blame the keys - And sorry for the lost - I know what you mean when you are in the "zone" and boom...Gone...

Kenn · #11 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:18 am

atlacatl wrote:I think those keys are great! I use them all the time...No other laptop has them...It's so ThinkPad

Don't blame the keys - And sorry for the lost - I know what you mean when you are in the "zone" and boom...Gone...

In case some don't know, You can also hit backspace on a regular keyboard to go back, and shift-backspace to go forward.

If you browse with your hands in typing-configuration for trackpad or touchpad use, this is usually faster/easier than moving your hand to try to find the tiny back/forward buttons, especially considering the back button is sandwiched between no fewer than 6 other keys (3 of which are larger)!

Humpa · #12 Post by **Humpa** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:27 am

Kenn wrote:In case some don't know, You can also hit backspace on a regular keyboard to go back, and shift-backspace to go forward.

If you browse with your hands in typing-configuration for trackpad or touchpad use, this is usually faster/easier than moving your hand to try to find the tiny back/forward buttons, especially considering the back button is sandwiched between no fewer than 6 other keys (3 of which are larger)!

Don't forget Alt + left arrow for back and Alt + right arrow for forward!

Kenn · #13 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:33 am

Humpa wrote:
Kenn wrote:In case some don't know, You can also hit backspace on a regular keyboard to go back, and shift-backspace to go forward.

If you browse with your hands in typing-configuration for trackpad or touchpad use, this is usually faster/easier than moving your hand to try to find the tiny back/forward buttons, especially considering the back button is sandwiched between no fewer than 6 other keys (3 of which are larger)!
Don't forget Alt + left arrow for back and Alt + right arrow for forward!

Hey, didn't know that one! A little more out of the way than backspace imho, but I'm all for having as many ways to do things as possible - you get to find out what works for you!

Humpa · #14 Post by **Humpa** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:43 am

Kenn wrote:Hey, didn't know that one! A little more out of the way than backspace imho, but I'm all for having as many ways to do things as possible - you get to find out what works for you!

Well that's the thing - knowing our options, eh?

Sometimes the backspace won't work for navigation (ie: if you are typing in a form - though why would you want to go back if you are typing in a form, you ask? ... beats me.

)

Kenn · #15 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:05 pm

And to the OP: I just tried the Keytweak program someone mentioned earlier (I use it to bind right-CTRL to the windows key as well), and you can indeed use it to rebind the web navigation keys. I changed mine to mimic left-arrow/right-arrow since I occasionally hit them as well.

Also, there's an IBM program installed called "Web Navigation Key Agent." I'm not sure if it binds keys or allows software to recognize them, but you could try to uninstall those and see what happens.

benz · #16 Post by **benz** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:44 pm

If you browse with your hands in typing-configuration for trackpad or touchpad use, this is usually faster/easier than moving your hand to try to find the tiny back/forward buttons, especially considering the back button is sandwiched between no fewer than 6 other keys (3 of which are larger)!

You are right, when I use the Trackpoint, its much easier for my right hand to extend to the backspace key for "back". However, when using the Trackpad, it is actually more convienient to hit the web navigation keys, you don't have to remove your hands from the buttons. So I guess its a matter of personal preference. I usually use a mouse, and it turns out that I usually hit the navigation keys when doing so, but the backspace key is about as close.

So, in summary:
Back - Backspace, Alt+Left arrow, or Left Web Nav. key
Forward - Shift+Backspace, Alt+Right arrow, or Right Web Nav. key

So many choices, so little time!

Kenn · #17 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:53 pm

Agreed!

Oh, and I just uninstalled the "IBM Web Navigation Keys Agent" after remapping the keys via Keytweak. Still works, so that may be yet another "useless" IBM app to toss if you need to save a few KB/MB of RAM

benz · #18 Post by **benz** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:14 pm

Hey, once you uninstalled that "IBM Web Navigation Keys Agent", do you get the onscreen display "Forward" and "Backward" if they are pressed in other apps (like MS word, Firefox, etc.)?? If so that would be awesome, and I'll uninstall that immediately!

Kenn · #19 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:00 pm

benz wrote:Hey, once you uninstalled that "IBM Web Navigation Keys Agent", do you get the onscreen display "Forward" and "Backward" if they are pressed in other apps (like MS word, Firefox, etc.)?? If so that would be awesome, and I'll uninstall that immediately!

Actually I don't know, since I remapped the keys to mimic the right/left arrows instead of forward/backward. I'll let you know on next reboot.

Kenn · #20 Post by **Kenn** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 7:14 pm

benz wrote:Hey, once you uninstalled that "IBM Web Navigation Keys Agent", do you get the onscreen display "Forward" and "Backward" if they are pressed in other apps (like MS word, Firefox, etc.)?? If so that would be awesome, and I'll uninstall that immediately!

Just tested.

Uninstalling the IBM software and changing the key mapping via keytweak results in working web navigation keys without the "forward" and "backward" on screen display.

Plinkerton · #21 Post by **Plinkerton** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:52 pm

I was going to recommend Keylogger Lite, as it has saved my [censored] MANY times before, but I just found out it is all full lof spyware.

Does anyone know of a simple keylogger that is free and doesn't contain any spyware?

Thanks a lot.

mattfromomaha · #22 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:22 am

I also love the forward/back keys, but I do wish there were room for them on the left of the keyboard, since I currently have to reach my left hand over my right one, which is on the trackpoint. It's very handy though!

Plinkerton · #23 Post by **Plinkerton** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:15 pm

Okay, I was just in the middle of a huge [censored] email, and I accidentally hit the stupid back key, deleting all of it.

I just went into the key editor, and made the keys function with a longer button push. Now I actually have to hold the key down for a couple seconds for it to work, so I can't accidentall hit them anymore.

It works great now, because I can still use them, but only when I want to.

VC15 · #24 Post by **VC15** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:02 pm

You can just disable them all together in the ibm keyboard customizer utility.

Any way to turn off the @%$@!&* Forward and Backward Key

Any way to turn off the @%$@!&* Forward and Backward Key

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