Time to kill off Caps Lock? It's a campaign

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Source: Tech Digest

Do we really need that Caps Lock key? Pieter Hintjens thinks it's time to scrap it altogether, and has launched the CAPSoff campaign to get something done about it.

The Caps Lock key is blamed for all sorts of things, like people SHOUTING online (I tend to just keep the little finger on my left-hand pressed down on the Shift key when I want to SHOUT but maybe I'm just a freak) - people trying to scam you by email (apparently many of them SHOUT though the nice spam messages I've received have all been in lowercase) - and die-hard programmers who use archaic (80s) languages that only work with uppercase characters.

Personally, I don't have a problem with it. It sits to the left of my keyboard, and if I press it, a little green light comes on. Sweet.

But I'm obviously too nice, because Hintjens takes another view on his blog. "The Caps key is an abomination. It's a huge key, stuck right there where the Ctrl used to be, and as far as I know, it's only used by 419 scammers and Fortran programmers."

Whoa there. An abomination? Steady on.

He continues: "Obviously the keyboard producers have been so indoctrinated that they don't even inspect their own products any longer," Hintjens writes. "Listen, dudes: No one wants that crummy Caps key. It's history."

Is this an issue worth getting worked up about? I'll leave that to you to decide. If you want to join the cause, visit the CAPSoff blog. If not, then just be careful over on the left-most extremities of your keyboard.
 
Get rid of it. I have on NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ACCIDENTALLY SHOUTED AT GTP BECAUSE OF HITTING IT INSTEAD OF THE TAB KEY, AS i HAVE NOW.
 
That's absolutely one of the most retarded vendettas ever. Here's why:

Capitals letters are necessary to proper English grammar, like at the beginning of this sentence, or for proper names and adjectives. Get rid of caps lock, and GUESS WHAT? Asshats and spammers will just hold down the shift key, like I just did to end that last question. If they need both hands, they'll tape it down! Annoying and tedious, but they'll do it, I guarantee.

The bottom line is that all this could possible gain is a headache everyone, including those who use it maliciously and those who don't. There will just be another way people will resort to. The only cure would be to disable all possible capitalization, and that makes everyone, whether from america or europe or anywhere else on earth look like an idiot while typing to each other. take that english language!
 
Sakiale
Get rid of it. I have on NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ACCIDENTALLY SHOUTED AT GTP BECAUSE OF HITTING IT INSTEAD OF THE TAB KEY, AS i HAVE NOW.
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You forgot people do documents with all caps lock, but I mainly use the combo key for doing caps lock.
 
i HATE IT WHEN i DON'T REALISE THE cAPS lOCK kEY IS ON!

Seriously though, I think it has a use.

I use it to type capitals when I need to. If I have to type a letter or a word two amongst normal text, then I hold Shift. But I especially have to type in uppercase, like for an image or something similar, it's handy to switch it on and type.

And, it makes a light flash on my keyboard and I do like little lights. :D
 
Trash it.

I've never used it in my life.

Trash that stupid key that's the same as right clicking too. What's the point, I already have a finger poised and ready to right click, why do I need a key to do it?
 
ferrari_chris
I use it to type capitals when I need to.
Click to expand...

As opposed to when? :confused:

I don't use Caps Lock, but then I can't think of the last time I used the Scroll Lock, Pause/Break, Insert or Alt Gr keys either. No need to start a campaign to get rid of them (and it's not even a funny novelty campaign either, this guy seems serious...).
 
ferrari_chris
i HATE IT WHEN i DON'T REALISE THE cAPS lOCK kEY IS ON!

Seriously though, I think it has a use.

I use it to type capitals when I need to. If I have to type a letter or a word two amongst normal text, then I hold Shift. But I especially have to type in uppercase, like for an image or something similar, it's handy to switch it on and type.

And, it makes a light flash on my keyboard and I do like little lights. :D
Click to expand...
These people mainly use the caps lock a lot:

*Old people over 60
*Young Children
*IT People who work in the IT market.

@ amp88 You could use caps lock as a button in any video game.
 
Casio
Trash it.

I've never used it in my life.

Trash that stupid key that's the same as right clicking too. What's the point, I already have a finger poised and ready to right click, why do I need a key to do it?
Click to expand...

Actually, that key DOES come in handy for those times when I have thrown my cordless mouse across the room in a fit if frustration, and am too lazy to go and pick it up...
 
amp88
As opposed to when? :confused: ...
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When I don't need to.

If I'm creating an image or something and I think, these two line will be in uppercase, and the last line will be in uppercase, then I'd hit Caps Lock to type them. But, if I was just typing in a normal manner then I just hold down Shift.

I guess what I'm trying to say is for me to use Caps Lock it needs to be extremely pre-meditated.
 
I don't think i've ever used capslock. I learned to touchtype the correct way and don't feel the need for it. I can have my left pinky on the shift the whole time and still type at a constistent average of 60 wpm.
 
Sakiale
Get rid of it. I have on NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ACCIDENTALLY SHOUTED AT GTP BECAUSE OF HITTING IT INSTEAD OF THE TAB KEY, AS i HAVE NOW.
Click to expand...

That's what the edit button is for.

Me? Couldn't care less. I haven't used it for ages, so it's pretty redundant. I've hit it by accident a few times, but i'm one of those people who keep looking at the screen while typing - if i stick it on by mistake, i only write a few letters before i realise.
 
I find it is quite useful when you are trying to type with one hand.... e.g when you are on the phone, eating something or even feeding the chinchilla...
 
:lol: Why not just scrap the keyboard altogether, and replace it with fancy 'child-like' flashing lights? The Caps Lock Key is a fundimental part of any keyboard (or typewriter). Using it shows that you have a basic grasp and understanding of the English language. Removing it would be blasphemy.

Besides, everyone knows that the ancient Egyptians would not of had such a colourful and descriptive pictorial language if it wasn't for the Caps Lock key.
 
If anything, get rid of the Windows key and right-click key. One is annoying as hell, one serves no real purpose, both are useless.
 
amp88
As opposed to when? :confused:

I don't use Caps Lock, but then I can't think of the last time I used the Scroll Lock, Pause/Break, Insert or Alt Gr keys either. No need to start a campaign to get rid of them (and it's not even a funny novelty campaign either, this guy seems serious...).
Click to expand...
Agreed. I've always used shift to do capitals.

On a side note, AltGr is useful for typing foreign characters though, particularly french accents (generally just holding AltGr and typing the letter will apply a common form of accent). It's also the cheapest way to type € in Windows on the UK keyboard layout (AltGr + 4).

In rich edit based controls there a bunch of other shortcuts to apply all the different accenting types. 👍

MachOne
If anything, get rid of the Windows key and right-click key. One is annoying as hell, one serves no real purpose, both are useless.
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The Windows Key is pretty useful when you know the shortcuts for it, such as WinKey + R to open the run prompt, WinKey + D to clear to the desktop and WinKey + F to open up the file search. :)
 
MasterStorm
The Windows Key is pretty useful when you know the shortcuts for it, such as WinKey + R to open the run prompt, WinKey + D to clear to the desktop and WinKey + F to open up the file search. :)
Click to expand...



Ever been playing a game, then hit the Windows key by accident?

The Windows key is the worst thing known to mankind. Ever.
 
Sakiale
Get rid of it. I have on NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ACCIDENTALLY SHOUTED AT GTP BECAUSE OF HITTING IT INSTEAD OF THE TAB KEY, AS i HAVE NOW.
Click to expand...

Why would you press the tab key in the first place?
 
When I am at work (using AutoCAD), caps lock is on 95% of the time unless I'm posting here or sending an e-mail. At home, it's on about 5% - only when I'm using AutoCAD here. Get rid of it and every Architectural, Engineering and Civil Firm in the country will be pissed.

Myself included.
 
Touring Mars
I find it is quite useful when you are trying to type with one hand.... e.g when you are on the phone, eating something or even feeding the chinchilla...
Click to expand...

you type while feeding the chinchilla? :scared:
 
MachOne
Ever been playing a game, then hit the Windows key by accident?

The Windows key is the worst thing known to mankind. Ever.
Click to expand...
All the games I play disable it when in full screen, so it's not a problem for me. Even so, I dont think I've ever accidentally hit it. :)

If it annoys you that much, you can disable it completely via the registry.
 
TB
When I am at work (using AutoCAD), caps lock is on 95% of the time unless I'm posting here or sending an e-mail. At home, it's on about 5% - only when I'm using AutoCAD here. Get rid of it and every Architectural, Engineering and Civil Firm in the country will be pissed.

Myself included.
Click to expand...

Not just them, a large amount of commericial software applications do require the caps lock key.

One piece of dealer management software I train on would become far more difficult to use and interfaces with manufacturers software would be a nightmare without the caps lock key.

This guys campaign seems very narrow minded in that regard, he doesn't use it so no one else must, so get rid of it. Poor reasoning.

Regards

Scaff
 
I want rid too, I only use the shift key these days for me CAPS letters, and never use the Caps Lock key, infact I have many a time hit it by mistake thinkng it was the Shift key and typed my whole post's in caps, this then rendered my whole post void, and I have had to start again.

I dont hate the Caps Lock key, but I dont see a need, get used to Shift Caps people!!!.
 
Maybe you should learn to type looking at what you're typing rather than the keyboard, so you'll realize that it's all in caps before you continue. ;)



and while we're at it I think we ought to eliminate QWERTY! Long live the DSK!!!!!!!!!
 
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