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  • How do I get Caps Lock key to be Backspace again?

    How do I get Caps Lock key to be Backspace again?

    • Started by Paeter
    • 15 Replies:
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    • Registered: 25-Jul-2010
    • Posts: 7

    I had to format my computer and was frustrated when I installed colemak again and I found caps lock had been mapped back to caps lock.

    How can I fix this? I've looked up this remapping stuff but I didn't get how to use it. I just don't get why there isn't two download files.

    It's so slow and annoying now that I've grown used to caps lock being backspace. In my opinion this remapping was one of the best parts of colemak. It adds so much flow to your typing by virtue of allowing you to keep your fingers on the home keys. You don't have to reach all the way over the keyboard.

    How can I fix this problem in simple terms? ^_^

    Last edited by Paeter (26-Jul-2010 19:04:19)
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    • From: Ann Arbor, MI
    • Registered: 25-Sep-2008
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    Which OS is this?

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    • Registered: 25-Jul-2010
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    Windows XP Home Service pack 2

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    • From: Ann Arbor, MI
    • Registered: 25-Sep-2008
    • Posts: 36

    I don't run Windows regularly, but on the occasion when I do I use PKL (Portable Keyboard Layout) for Colemak.  I never had much luck with the official Windows installer, which doesn't remap Caps Lock (a registry hack is needed for that).

    Besides, running PKL will solve other annoying problems with the Windows keyboard switcher since it changes the layout globaly instead of per-application.

    Solution #2: don't run windows :)

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    • Registered: 10-Jul-2010
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    jrick said:

    Solution #2: don't run windows :)

    Well that is dependant on if he plays new games on his pc and/or has to have it for work, but well, I to have a linux preference, but the thing is that we don't gain anything from forcing people that doesn't want to ;)

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    • Registered: 25-Jul-2010
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    I only listen to music and browse the internet and use basic applications. I never play games. Is Linux really better for these things? Anyway, thank you. I downloaded the portable keyboard. It just sucks I have to run it all the time just to get one key back in the right spot.

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    • From: Belgium
    • Registered: 26-Feb-2008
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    Paeter said:

    I downloaded the portable keyboard. It just sucks I have to run it all the time just to get one key back in the right spot.

    Just stick it in your Startup folder and forget about it. :-)

    It also allows you to easily modify the layout if you wish to.

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    Paeter said:

    I only listen to music and browse the internet and use basic applications. I never play games. Is Linux really better for these things? Anyway, thank you. I downloaded the portable keyboard. It just sucks I have to run it all the time just to get one key back in the right spot.

    For me, I think it is better for those things, if you get a light linux distro, like puppy or antix, you will be able to surf, listen to music and do word-processing and small stuff like that without installing anything, a benefit will also be that since you are running a less demanding system your machine will work less, last longer, and it will reduce fan noise, I downclocked the cpu's on my computer, and I run a fairly vanilla puppy variant, another goot thing is that you will have less problems with viruses, (as of yet there have been no bad ones) so you can safely run without anti virus running constantly in the background. But the best thing is that most things work out of the box.

    That being said though, if you are comfortable with what you have, and you don't feel like learning new programs, and maybe some new ways of doing things, or think that home is better than a bit of adventure when you are using your computer I don't think anything will beat the If it ain't broken don't fix it principle.

    If I sound not so prosletysing that is mostly because not everything is going to be completely as you are used to now, not worse, maybe not better, but differnt, so I don't want you to come and say that you didn't like it and that linux sucks, it doesn't it's just a bit different, I've been running linux only for 6 years now, and I love the simple and stable computing (usually my pc stays on for weeks without getting any slower) but hey, since you are at a colemak forum I don't think that you are against some change ;)

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    olanordmann said:
    jrick said:

    Solution #2: don't run windows :)

    I to have a linux preference

    GNU/Linux isn't the only alternative. As it happens, jrick doesn't prefer GNU/Linux either. He's an OpenBSD guy.

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    • Registered: 25-Jul-2010
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    It's pretty safe to say I'm not afraid of change. I'll give Linux a go.

    Thanks for the idea of putting it in my startup folder. I hadn't thought of that.

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    • From: Belgium
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    Paeter said:

    Thanks for the idea of putting it in my startup folder. I hadn't thought of that.

    That's how I run it at work (on Windows) with no issues.

    At home and elsewhere, it's NetBSD all around — with Colemak support out of the box. ;-)

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    kqr said:
    olanordmann said:
    jrick said:

    Solution #2: don't run windows :)

    I to have a linux preference

    GNU/Linux isn't the only alternative. As it happens, jrick doesn't prefer GNU/Linux either. He's an OpenBSD guy.

    Sorry, that was ignorant of me, I've been thinking about trying out BSD too, since it's even leaner and faster than the linux alternatives that I have been talking about, I just am very comfortable where I am now. But that will probably be the next adventure, by now I'm struggling my way through trying to learn shorthand ;)

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    • From: Ann Arbor, MI
    • Registered: 25-Sep-2008
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    penghan said:

    jrick is right.

    thanks.  I won't be that nice though.  nice sig. (spammer?)

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    • Registered: 25-Jul-2010
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    There's still one problem. The portable colemak isn't allowing me to use the multilingual alt+gr combinations to type special characters. I type in French and German.

    It's such a huge headache. Why did they change it back? It slows down typing by so much. Caps lock is almost entirely useless. Why can't backspace be caps lock and caps lock be backspace? That's the logical option. Then everyone gets what they want.

    Is there a way to get all the accents with the portable version?

    I guess I'm being difficult...

    Last edited by Paeter (30-Jul-2010 06:25:31)
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    • From: Belgium
    • Registered: 26-Feb-2008
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    Does Ctrl+Alt work for you instead of AltGr?

    For Capslock / backspace: you can modify the layout, just edit the layout.ini file...

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    It's ok guys. I found the original colemak installation file on my gf's laptop. Life is good again. ^_^

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