Re: a key system to replace gnu emacs's 1000 default keybindings

[Jonathan Groll <lists@groll.co.za>]

On Wed, 30 May 2012 17:27:24 +0100, Nix <nix-razor-pit@esperi.org.uk> wrote:

> On 26 May 2012, Dan Espen uttered the following:
> > You'll need to create another write up that explains why
> > we can't live without CAPS LOCK.
> 
> I used to think caps-lock was useless too, until I learned a bit of
> formal touch typing, when it all came clear.
> 
> The caps-lock key is intended to reduce chording when typing multiple
> capitalized letters at once (which used to be common in headings, and is
> now common in e.g. macro names in C). Chording two keys with one hand is
> very unpleasant and a significant cause of RSI, so formal touch typing
> teaches that you should always use the opposite hand to the hit chording
> keys, e.g. right shift and left F, but left shift and right L. (This is
> why there are two shift, ctrl keys, and so on, on opposite sides of
> keyboards). However, when typing runs of capital letters this requires
> frequent flipping of the shift-holding hand from side to side, or
> violation of this rule.
> 
> Thus, one hits caps lock *once*, types the run of capitalized keys, then
> hits it again, thus avoiding both single-hand chording and an annoying
> constant flip of the chording hand.

Very well put.

You can have your cake and eat it (or have both control and caps-lock
in convenient places) - if you get an intelligently designed (usually
mechanical) keyboard (thinking of the Kinesis with thumb keys). RSI is
a serious thing, particular with us Emacs folks, and often typing is
our livelihood.

Cheers,
Jonathan

P.S. Actually, another alternative to swapping capslock and control:
running a modified XF86 that lets you use the space key as a control
key "when it is pressed with another key":
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=65950

--
jjg: Jonathan J. Groll : groll co za
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"A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes'
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