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by stoolpigeon 1052 days ago
I've seen a couple of these keyboards that I assume are mechanical in the last couple days or weeks here.

Serious question - do they not have function keys because that's just the models shown? Or is it normal for keyboards like this to not have them and if so why?
2 comments
bombcar 1052 days ago
A subset of the keyboard hackers aim to imitate the happy hacker keyboard, which was sized to fit inside a 19 in rack slide out.

This is one of them. Function keys are reached vi a modifier.

There are others: https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product/classic-style-f122-m...

F24 for life!

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fanf2 1052 days ago
Yeah, see also the recent discussion at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37004633 and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37003963

One annoying thing about macOS is that it has a very limited collection of key codes. I tried using F24 for window placement but it was ignored, so I had to back off to F16.

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bombcar 1052 days ago
I seem to recall being able to use an add on utility to get access to the higher scancodes - mainly to prevent some from being “the same key”.
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layer8 1052 days ago
They must not be using Excel (and certain IDEs).
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stoolpigeon 1052 days ago
thank you - I appreciate it.
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tjoff 1052 days ago
The idea is that reaching for F keys, the numpad, the arrow-keys etc., takes too long. It breaks your flow and slows you down. Or, it is just much more ergonomic avoid them.

So instead they usually have more modifiers and utilize the thumb for way more than the spacebar. The varieties are endless.

Arrow keys are right on your home-row, it is just a thumb-press away, as is F-keys and the numpad (numpad works better if you have an otrholinear layout rather than the staggared keys normal keyboards have).

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rgoulter 1052 days ago
> more modifiers and utilize the thumb for way more than the spacebar.

This is true of keyboards like the Moonlander, or the Planck (which is even smaller than OP's keyboard).

But, OP's keyboard has a big spacebar.

I reckon there are two families of "small keyboards": those with a big-spacebar, and those with multiple thumbkeys.

With the big spacebar, I feel vindicated to see the replies linked to say "I don't need F-keys because I don't use them frequently".

Whereas with the Planck, the Planck is as small as it is (as stated on the video on olkb.com) in order to minimize hand movement/stretching from home row.

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