Thinkpads Forum

pundit wrote:I wasn't thinking of an app to do this or even Windows XP; more along the lines of messing with some esoteric text file (.xmodmap) somewhere or forcibly messing with some low level keyboard interface source (and tearing much of my limited remaining hair out in the process).

I assumed that you would do it in a more sophisticated low level manner. I was just thinking for myself, since any recoding of interfaces is beyond me. But if you figure it out and want to provide a detailed how to guide, I'd be game to try it.

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astro. Yeah, I'm sure people have all kinds of different preferences. And it is amazing how many people don't use the key stroke short cuts. The command key isn't a bad set up on the Macs. I never feel like it's especially better when I'm working on my PowerMac (pinky, thumb, doesn't make a big difference to me). I really like how the alt key works with the menus in Windows. Control + F1 on the Mac is more cumbersome I think.

It seems to me, though, if IBM/Lenovo really wants to do something different with their keyboard then they ought to rethink it a lot and come up with innovations that really provide all kinds of greater usability (in the spirit of the TrackPoint). Just shifting the control key around a bit seems like diddling with good enough and what people are used to. If they're going to forego the standard layout, then why not do it in a more bold and creative fashion? They could really market that. It would fit with their superior keyboard reputation. They might even offer a choice of different keyboards when you order the computer. That would be cool and make them standout.

donking! wrote:I don't know what you mean by it doesn't effect the normal (really more or less universally adopted) keyboard layout. It's different from a standard layout that's on pretty much every other keyboard (desktop and laptop). Isn't that an "effect"? Isn't that a real difference (regardless of whether one cares about it)?

I remember a time when keyboards didn't have win keys, and there were two common layouts:

- thoses where left control and alt keys where close to each others
- thoses where a gap exist between left control and alt keys (like my still living model m )

for the first category, this doesn't affect the "standard keyboard layout", for the second one, the fn key need some use to get done with; (it's harder to ctrl+shift+escape with a single hand with this layout BTW)

I also regret that lenovo added theses win keys where there are, it would be better to have them either by option (even if it's default to) or placed on the upper part just at left of the "print screen" key or such placement that don't get in the way...