THE WAR AGAINST THE CAPS LOCK KEY IS ON

We've seen our fair share of battles in the consumer electronics industry, but this war is distinctly different than those waged in courtrooms or even conference centers, as the focal point here isn't a person, company, or even an entity. Pieter Hintjens is rounding up his troops in order to bring about a change that's most improbable: to have the Caps Lock key retired, permanently. Although some of you may chuckle at the idea and deem it unworthy of such an effort, we can imagine Pieter isn't alone in his disdain for the awkward key. Judging solely by the rate at which fellow petitioners are claiming their allegiance on the CAPSoff website, there are indeed an army of haters gaining strength. The group's mission is to awaken the public and get them to seriously think about the precious keyboard real estate that is so unfairly utilized by the (nearly) worthless uppercasing shortcut. Hintjens is a man on a mission, but he's keeping a cool head, and by offering up alternatives that could hopefully appease both camps, some sort of resolution can presumably be found; he has suggested that Caps Lock be relocated beside Scroll Lock, so that Fortran programmers (about the only folks on the planet aside from Nigerian email scammers who use this key with any frequency) can still have access to quick uppercasing. Now that you've been briefed, and you're fully aware of what's at stake, there's really only one question that remains: will you just sit around and gawk, or will you fight for CAPSoff?

[Via Slashdot]

[greenlight @ Aug 17th 2006 3:34AM]

MacOS X lets you remap the Caps lock key in the Keyboard Preference Pane (along with all the other meta-keys). I have it remapped to Control, so that Control returns to its original and correct position (look at any old UNIX keyboard or even the early Mac keyboard...)

[Chris Gunton @ Aug 17th 2006 3:35AM]

wHY wHOULD aNYONE wANT tO bAN tHE cAPS lOCK kEY?

[wako @ Aug 17th 2006 3:38AM]

No! By all means, keep the caps lock key. It doesnt bother me at all. What REALLY bothers me is the damn WINDOW KEY. It is placed right next to control key! Many times I would accidentally press the damn Window key, right when a battle is heating up (I play alot of multiplayer games) and I hit the F*$#ing window key for it crash back to desktop only to have the start menu open up. FOR GOD SAKES WE HAVE A MOUSE NOW A DAYS! I dont need a windows key! I especially dont need two, one on each side! STOP THE MADNESS

[maveric101 @ Aug 27th 2008 12:08AM]

i know this article is old, but it was linked from a newer one.

i actually like the windows key. it's especially usefull in Vista. just press the windows key, type the first part of a program name, enter, and you're there.

[bazald @ Aug 17th 2006 3:39AM]

But if they take my CAPS LOCK key, then how will I be expected to type the names of all the DirectX structs and enums in the future? Taking away the CAPS LOCK key is just foolish. Teach people proper Internet etiquette and the problem is solved.

[Felekar @ Apr 19th 2007 9:42PM]

They're not saying they want it removed from the keyboard, they just want it moved to the other side, since it's not terribly useful where it is.

[Dave @ Aug 17th 2006 3:40AM]

People who use both hands to type may find the Caps-Lock key useful.

[Henry @ Aug 17th 2006 3:41AM]

Yeah. It might help with those people who's essence Chris up there so perfectly captured. As someone once said, caps lock isn't cruise control for cool.

[Phil @ Aug 17th 2006 3:43AM]

I HEARD THAT WINDOWS VISTA WILL HAVE A RIGHT-CLICK MENU ITEM THAT LETS YOU SELECT TEXT AND CHOOSE TO MAKE IT ALL-CAPS, SO IT IS OK WITH ME IF YOU GET RID OF THE KEY ON THE KEYBOARD. BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A CAPS-UNLOCK KEY JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO UNDO THAT COMMAND.

[had @ Aug 17th 2006 3:44AM]

another mad idea.. :)

[Darko8472 @ Aug 17th 2006 3:44AM]

I say keep it. I use it a lot in my work, my company has standards that require all SQL column names to be in uppercase. If you're doing a lengthy statement, the capslock key becomes invaluable.

[matt @ Aug 17th 2006 3:45AM]

for wako, the G15 logitech keyboard has a switch to turn this key on and off. i find it useful but in games, i can switch it off so i dont accidentally press it. its fantastic.

as for the article, i think the caps key is fine, proper use is the key, pun intended.

[xbird @ Aug 17th 2006 3:46AM]

This is not going to fly for people with disabilities or with limited functionality of one hand who cannot hold shift and type at the same time. I find a lot of people do not go through the trouble to figure things like these out and shout loudly things that would leave them behind.

Making a "special needs" keyboard that has a caps lock key is an indifferent argument, that would only raise costs (have you seen how much assistive peripherals are?) and file people with typing issues (carpal tunnel is not uncommon) into a corner.

[Joe D @ Apr 11th 2007 5:26PM]

Read the article. He suggested relocating the key.

The issue is hat the caps lock is a large key that is placed in prime keyboard real estate. That space could be better served with another key. Just move the useless caps key somewhere else.

[Maci @ Aug 17th 2006 3:46AM]

Disable the Windows Key
http://johnhaller.com/jh/useful_stuff/disable_windows_key/

Disable the Caps Key
http://johnhaller.com/jh/useful_stuff/disable_caps_lock/

[h4x0r @ Aug 17th 2006 3:48AM]

WOW, THIS IS SO AWESOME OMG THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER, btw i just typed that with my pinky on shift, F*** the caps lock key, i have never used that in my life, AND OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG, the windows key should DIE, YOUR SO WRITE WAKO, i get so pissed off when im playing FPS and it f***ing goes to the desktop when im playing, i have no complaints about the caps lock key going away, and also they should remove windows key, atleast from left side, idc about it being on the right side, and they should sell more keyboards that are normal and dont have the number pad on them, i have never used the number pad ever in my life, even when im typing long strings of numbers i use the numbers at the top of the letters, its just a habbit, so i want them to sell keyboards totally stripped down but still good ones, i doubt anyone really uses arrow keys and insert,home, pageup that whole 6 keyblock, i doubt anyone uses that either, besides the delete key i dont ever use that, and the arrow keys are now replaced with W,A,S,D, ok im ending my rant now hehe

[Atanas Boev @ Aug 17th 2006 3:48AM]

And also the insert key, damn it!

[CJ @ Aug 17th 2006 4:01AM]

Oh well. I suppose everyone needs a hobby.

He could have taken up a more noble cause, like AIDS or cancer or MS (my pet cause), but this is definitely *a* cause.

Good luck to ya, Pieter.

[christian @ Aug 17th 2006 4:04AM]

I hate the insert key with passion but not the windows key, I've grown to live with it.

I do believe that they should move the caps lock key somewhere else so that way people won't use it so much when typing, I hate seeing stuff on all CAPS too unless it's a title or it's a few words of shouts and/or emphasis.

What I've never grown acostumed to is the varying sizes of letter like: "I lOvE mY dAiLy BlOgGiNgs" or something like that. I always think of it as someone trying to send me a spammed message.

[Paul Hildebrandt @ Aug 17th 2006 4:04AM]

What about Q? I've personally never liked the letter. Can we get rid of that?

[ZOMGCAPSLOCK @ Aug 17th 2006 4:06AM]

CAPSLOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.

[dave @ Aug 17th 2006 4:19AM]

Of all the things to campaign about.. this is certainly pretty pointless.

There are lots of users out there entering data into systems and producing documentation. Sometimes they have to enter everything in uppercase, and then the next time they have to enter into the same form in mixed/lower. Reason being they have to rekey the data they have been given "exactly" as given (ie - "letters of credit" required by banks and the like, sometimes the bank wants duplication, others dont), and that sometimes means including spelling errors and case sensitivity. Dumb, but true.

Caps lock has its place, as does every other key on the keyboard. But yes, the best answer here is to be able to map them to do what you would like them to do.

[Desmond @ Aug 17th 2006 4:19AM]

While we're all breaking our keyboards open, it would be really nice to have a status LED for the Insert key. Why shouldn't it have an LED like all the other double function keys on the keyboard? Even the lowly Scroll Lock has one. It's frustrating when you're correcting something only to realize that you've jst ered wat yo tped, and then have to experiment (by typing more) to figure out whether Insert is on or off. Keyboard manufacturer's, please be a winner and put another LED on the board. Or just rewire the Caps Lock one!

[atrain @ Apr 11th 2007 1:06PM]

unfortunately Desmond, it is not quite as simple as that.

The LED is not mapped from the key itself, but is sent from the computer. Unless you create a whole new specification for user input, no hardware manufacturer will be able to do that.

The good news is: because it is done through the computer, you can probably easily write a script to hijack the LED for other purposes.

[shapey @ Aug 17th 2006 4:20AM]

and while we're at it, what's with all those bloody 'F' keys? what's all that about? eh?

[Luca @ Aug 17th 2006 4:23AM]

Check ou a keyboard layout I used to use long time ago on a workstation :

http://store1.yimg.com/I/paulgraham_1911_7824649

That was cool since caps lock was tiny and we had 4 shift keys !! shift / ctrl / meta / super / hyper. Could do plenty of combinations combined with mouse

[Jan Aagaard @ Aug 17th 2006 4:27AM]

In Windows 2000 or later you can map Caps Lock to Left Ctrl with a registry key. This is actually pretty useful, once you get used to it, since it is easier to hold the Caps Lock key while pushing an other button. This hack can also be very useful on laptop where the bottom left key is not Ctrl but custom function key.

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlKeyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,1d,00,3a,00,00,00,00,00

Taken from http://www.vim.org/tips/tip.php?tip_id=75

[Tom @ Aug 17th 2006 4:29AM]

Why not just get rid of the keyboard altogether? Why can't we just TALK things through?

[linead @ Aug 17th 2006 4:30AM]

What about people that need to use the capslock because they write checks and invoices all day that need everything to be in caps. This article should be, "Idiot starts website to gain attention" ...oh wait. Those are called blogs these days.

[kansei @ Aug 17th 2006 4:34AM]

Loving my happy hacking keyboard right about now :D

I think I can still press caps lock *looks around* oh there it is, Fn+Tab.. sweet. People need to be putting the Ctrl key back where it belongs, the unix position!

replace caps with Ctrl and emacs users everywhere will rejoice!

[dave @ Aug 17th 2006 4:35AM]

just when I taught my pet chicken to peck 'OMGWTF'. damn.

[Pep @ Aug 17th 2006 4:39AM]

Totally agree. I have popped out the Caps Lock key on my keyboard for years now, it's the most annoying thing. And modern Fortran compilers admit lowercase commands. BAN THE CAPS LOCK KEY!!! And if not, I think it's a good idea to exile it next to Scroll Lock where it can be used but cannot be hit accidentally.

[Tikaboo @ Aug 17th 2006 4:44AM]

Is there a really a capsoff website? Any idea of the URL? (I used Shift for URL)

[cherie22984 @ Aug 17th 2006 4:56AM]

ROFLMFAO!!!1111

[russ D @ Aug 17th 2006 5:01AM]

Can someone enlighten me? whats the Windows Key?

[wAkO @ Aug 17th 2006 5:05AM]

The satanic key... err I mean, the windows key is the F*&$ing key between the control key and the alt key. It is the bane of my existence if not the world. George Bush should have waged a war against the Windows key on my keyboard.

[Bigsby @ Aug 17th 2006 5:06AM]

NOOOOOO!!! (written with shift) But if they get rid of the caps lock key, how will I enter the "commander" window in BF2?! I will have to assign it to another, less easily accessible key!

...meh, I don't use the caps lock key much, but it does come in handy every once in a while. I agree that the left windows key should be banished, as well as scroll lock, and the insert key, but not the caps lock key. Maybe just make a virus that checks if people type things in all caps, especially emails, blogs and instant messages, and then crashes their computer/formats their hard drive(s)/disables any and all upper case letters, or even the whole keyboard. I know someone who gets more people who seem to love their caps lock key than anyone else, and his name is maddox (www.thebestwebpageintheuniverse.net). I'm sure he'd sign the petition.

[wAkO @ Aug 17th 2006 5:07AM]

http://www.cisp.com/enews/myvine/july04/windowskey.jpg


THIS KEY IS MY NEMESIS

[Cris @ Aug 17th 2006 5:09AM]

What a load of CAPSLOCK!

I've used the capslock to capitalise for the last 13 years, and moving it would screw me up good and proper. Why can't they just buy a different keyboard!?!?!

If they're worried about that key, what about the fact that QWERTY isn't the most efficient layout of keys? Surely that's a more interesting issue...

Long live DVORAK!

[CK @ Aug 17th 2006 5:13AM]

For the anti-windows key crowd, try:

Win+E
Win+R
Win+D
Win+U
Win+D
Win+F
Win+L

Just using it for the start menu is for n00bs.

Caps lock on the other hand can sod off.

[julian @ Aug 17th 2006 5:13AM]

xbird: Have you not heard of sticky keys? (not the kind you get after making use of Safari's 'Private Browsing' mode)

What annoys me about the key is that if you do accidentally whack it on, you can't use it or the shift key to lowercase the text by selecting it and pressing the key again.

[granosalis @ Aug 17th 2006 5:17AM]

By all means get rid of the Caps Lock key - but the Windows key does have its uses. I, having somehow accidentally got rid of the "show desktop" button in the start bar, frequently use Windows+M or Windows+D to minimise all windows or show the desktop respectively (they amount to the same thing as far as I can tell).

[wAkO @ Aug 17th 2006 5:19AM]

True CK, there is obviously alot more the Windows key can do. However the placement of it, in games makes it one hell of an irritating key. Ever played any FPS games? Crouch is right next to it! I try to crouch and I miss the control key and suddenly Im looking at my F*@#ING desktop.

[Mark @ Aug 17th 2006 5:21AM]

Ok you know what stop with the Nigerian hating, no offense but we're not the only freaking country or nationality that does scams, maybe the most publicized but definitely not the only one. Seriously like the everyone from every other country is saint or something.

[possom @ Aug 17th 2006 5:23AM]

what a complete tosser. I make good use of the caps lock key. Perhaps he should make his own keyboard without a caps lock key and leave everyone else in peace.

[CharlieX @ Aug 17th 2006 5:24AM]

CAPS off DANCE off!

[Squee @ Aug 17th 2006 5:29AM]

Of course you could just all use Linux and then you can reprogramme all the keys to whatever you want. I have the left win key minimising all the windows. This is better cos it is faster than Win+D. The right win key is used to set the screen saver. Try it!

[Ed W @ Aug 17th 2006 5:31AM]

Well - this is certainly an emotive issue. As I work in an environment dripping with acronyms, which require to be placed in capitals, I like the key. I also frequently use insert, you may notice a q or two in this comment, love the windows key and absolutely most of all love the right hand windows key. I use these loads, the windows key most often now as part of a short cut system (such as windows-S for a OneNote screen clipping etc.) and the right one loads. I may have a mouse, but when my ten fingers are a-tapping then having easy access to these keys is fantastic.

As for the gamers: allowing the reprogramming of these keys is probably the best thing. Surely they've got enough resources to get themselves joysticks, steering weeks or PS2-type controllers rather than annoying those of us who actually use our extensive keybooards?!

I don't object to the caps lock key getting smaller, however. But the point is very valid about one handed typing (which I do fairly often when holding document, cup of coffee, telephone etc.) especially for the disabled.

[Will @ Aug 17th 2006 5:33AM]

it seems that many commenters here haven't read the whole article or just don't get it.
the article does not say that this guy wants to ban the caps-key altogether. he suggests to remap it aside the scroll lock key, i.e. a place where most users would less likely hit it by accident. so the real annoyance here is the "activation by accident due to its position on the keyboard", especially since the caps-key is used so little by the majority of computer users.

geez... just calm down and read the whole thing.

[skooled @ Aug 17th 2006 5:35AM]

They should really get rid of the 10-key, or at least make it optional. That would bring the mouse closer to the keyboard, making more sense ergonomically. They should also stop adding all those useless "Multimedia" keys, and instead focus on making the F# keys more useful. Most people don't even use all 101 keys on the keyboard, so adding more useless buttons just wastes desktop real estate.