Ask HN: Do you use Caps Lock?

6 points by appsDev 304 days ago | 16 comments

Hey HN Community,

I am trying to get a feel for how many people use caps lock compared to how many feel like it's wasted space.

For a little backstory, I have been working on a MacOS app for a while now called Triggered which allows you to remap your caps lock key to any shortcut. I finally got it working in a way that it can be distributed on the Mac App Store within Apple's Sandbox (unlike 3rd party downloads which get more access).

In figuring out how best to promote the app, I am trying to see what the general sentiment around Caps Lock is.

I always use the Shift key instead of caps lock, and so for me triggering a shortcut I use daily is a lot more useful.

Would love to know your thoughts.

Link to my app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/triggered-caps-lock-shortcut/id6748354853?mt=12

OuterVale 304 days ago |

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/posts/hPLvZsNZGsQSLfMee/remap-your...

appsDev 304 days ago | |

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..

scrapheap 304 days ago |

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 I just switched to using the CTRL key combinations instead.

appsDev 304 days ago | |

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

JohnFen 304 days ago |

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.

appsDev 304 days ago | |

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

mtmail 304 days ago |

Caps lock, Screen lock, Print screen are the least used keys on my keyboard (not a full 102 key one). I could work without them. Mapping them to something else makes sense. I'm surprised default MacOS doesn't at least map the screen lock and print screen to something automatically.

appsDev 304 days ago | |

Yeah I agree - those three often appear in least used lists - remapping all of them would be so cool

hollerith 304 days ago |

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).

appsDev 304 days ago | |

Good to know - thx for the reply

sfmz 304 days ago |

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.

appsDev 304 days ago | |

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

gladiatr72 304 days ago |

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

sim7c00 304 days ago |

i use capslock if i need to type more than one capital. i dont know why. it just happens...

taylodl 304 days ago | |

You're not the only one!

appsDev 304 days ago | | |

That's interesting - for some reason I just hold down the shift key even for a couple words - probably out of habit