I like Apple using Alt/Option/Meta as "alternative option"
I don't like Apple applications using Super/Windows/Looped Square for their own shortcuts.
On my Linux workstation I standardise to:
- Super for all window operations. Quit, resize, move to workspace.
- Super+alt for system wide action: lock, suspend, reboot.
- Hyper (super+ctrl+alt+shift because it's easily accessible on my keyboard) for global shortcuts such as mute microphone.
And Ctrl and Alt are reserved for applications themselves. I like Emacs approach: Ctrl is (mostly) the first layer, and Alt/Meta tends to work on semantic blocks: words, lines, sentences, etc. Shift often means Option, i.e. alternative to the base shortcut.
On the contrary, I like Apple’s Cmd for its location. It sits right under a thumb, and is less awkward to reach to than to Ctrl with a pinky. I liked it so much on Mac that I added Alt-W and similar Alt-variants of Ctrl-shortcuts to my PC browser and Vim. I also tried to switch Ctrl and Alt at a system level, but it didn’t feel right.
Cmd is the only thing that works well on a Macbook keyboard and everything else is a travesty. `fn` should be banished from the left side entirely and letting it occupy the Fitz Law ideal of the corner is a goddamn atrocity against good design for how little use it gets.
Complex chords are extremely painful when done one handed because the other meta keys are tiny and crammed all together. On Windows keyboards, `fn` either doesn't exist or is in the middle (creating ctrl-fn-win-alt), making for tons of comfortable space for one-handed chorded keys.
Honestly if I given a chance to redesign keyboards, I’d leave these corners completely empty and put cmd, alt, ctrl and probably shift where alt-spacebar-alt group is on a pc keyboard. Space “bar” itself would be just a key, maybe 2x width. Or maybe between B N even.
6x+ is too much honor for a key that produces blanks and allocates 20% of fingers, also useful ones. More than half of my spacebar area has no wear signs if you look closely.
> I don't like Apple applications using Super/Windows/Looped Square for their own shortcuts.
I strongly disagree. The distinction between OS and applications is arbitrary, it does not make sense to separate along this line. And a consistent command key is great, particularly compared to the mess we have on Windows. The fact that this leaves control free for command-line applications is a great bonus as well.
I couldn't count the many times I've been saved by the menu key, when my mouse somehow stops working for no reason. I hate that my current keyboard relegates it to be second-class citizen in lieu of the Fn key taking its place (which on the other hand I find to be useless).
I map language switch to menu key on linux (also temporary switch to rwin key, and use scroll lock indicator (not key) as a language indicator). It’s much more comfortable than regular ctrl-shift or alt-shift, and these keys are in a good place.
Shift+F10 works on Windows and Linux GTK (not Qt) apps, but it's not self-documenting unlike the menu key.
Also bring back keyboards with external media keys that don't require holding Fn to either change volume and tracks, or press F# key shortcuts. Also please give me an EC firmware which maps top-row keys to media keys when pressed alone (for convenience), and to F# keys when either Fn or any other modifier keys are held (so you don't need to add an extra key to complex modifier chords relative to on desktops).
