Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#11

Post by appsDev » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 1:30 PM UTC

scrapheap wrote: post #9

I don't tend to use Caps Lock at all - I know a lot of people remap it to be escape, just like OuterVale has mentioned, but for me it's just a key that I never use. Then again I no longer use home, end, page up and page down keys either - I switched to a split keyboard that doesn't have them as separate keys and you need to press a Fn key with another key to get them and as I live in the terminal for all my real work…

That interesting that your keyboard doesn't have them to begin with.. I agree having something like caps lock be a shortcut instead of having a separate key for it makes a lot more sense

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#12

Post by appsDev » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 1:33 PM UTC

OuterVale wrote: post #2

Personally, I've had my Caps Lock key bound to Escape for quite a few years now. It has been lovely and fits perfectly with my keyboard-driven workflow. Pairs great with Colemak-DH, which is my layout of choice. I haven't found myself ever missing the Caps Lock key's original functionality, and my blank laptop keycaps mean I can have it bound without mental annoyance. Some good discussion: https://www.lesswrong.com/p…

Thanks for the link! That is along the lines of what I saw in my research - just like the first couple minutes of this video - https://youtu.be/XuQVbZ0wENE?si=ddSniQLcaP_Tuvmm

Caps lock has an amazing spot without being useful enough to deserve it. I think like another comment mentioned - having a shortcut for locking caps might be better than having a whole key for it..

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#13

Post by hollerith » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 1:33 PM UTC

No: I uninstall the CapsLock key cap from my keyboards (along with the insert key, any keys between the Ctrl key and the Alt key and the entirety of the ten-key pad).

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#14

Post by appsDev » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 1:35 PM UTC

JohnFen wrote: post #5

I use caps lock probably 4 or 5 times a week for certain data entry tasks. Often enough that I wouldn't remap it to do anything else.

That makes sense, data entry is one of the reasons I have heard people use it.

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#15

Post by appsDev » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 1:35 PM UTC

sfmz wrote: post #6

The new windows laptops have replaced the right-side CTRL key with a stupid co-pilot key. Sooooooooooooooooo annoying. I need to remap it in windows.

Lol yeah on Mac they have you press the command key twice so it doesn't take up a whole new key at least

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#16

Post by appsDev » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 1:36 PM UTC

hollerith wrote: post #13

No: I uninstall the CapsLock key cap from my keyboards (along with the insert key, any keys between the Ctrl key and the Alt key and the entirety of the ten-key pad).

Good to know - thx for the reply

Re: Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

#17

Post by gladiatr72 » Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 2:34 PM UTC

Any time I'm working on shell scripts (frequent thing), capslock gets a workout.