Imagine we made this into the privacy key that, by default, launches your distro's privacy settings.
How's that for subverting MS's intent?
this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2025
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I would love this. Go put up some GitHub issues
the thing is this key is prevalent on modern hardware. if you do not like it then you are stuck on old hardware forever
if you do not like it then you are stuck on old hardware forever
As long as I can get security updates for my current versions of software, then I could not give less of a fuck. I don't game, I don't use AI locally, I just want a stable system that doesn't change functionality.
For all I care you could give me back windows 2000 and I'd be fine. Best damn windows ever released. If only it still got security updates.
They should return it. Whoever lost that key could still be looking for it.
Finders keepers
It's innocent enough but this headline somehow just reads like it's from the onion.
"Microsoft paid manufacturers to add another stupid key to laptops? Huh, okay then. Stupid key is now in linux. Map it up however you like yall."
Linux users when they see the Copilot key:
emacs enjoyers:
"Linux developers find a use for stupid Copilot key that no one has ever pressed."
Not the glorious return of the Hyper key I expected, but I'll take it.
I know right. I love me some more shortcut modifiers.
In theory it is possible to map rctrl to another key either way, but the different glyph on it is nice to differentiate it from an actual control key.
paid
More like extorted.
it's not really an "extra" key.. but it is mapped differently (lsh+win+f23 or sumsuch) than one it might be 'replacing'.
in us-ansi layout the right-side ctrl, a second winlogo or context menu key.. could all be gone leaving only right alt and new copilot key between space and arrows.
F keys go up to 23?? I’m missing out on so many functions!!!
If I understand secondary function correctly, that's essentially what the FN key does on keyboards it switches it from F1 through 12 to 13 through 23, but they generally use the buttons to control system settings such as your brightness or audio. The FN lock just switched the polarity so it defaults to 13 through 23 instead of 1 through 12
Fun fact: Tools like caffeine use these higher F-keys to bypass locking your desktop due to inactivity.
Less fun fact: Some terminal windows will happily process and display such high F-keys as input, leaving you with a screen full of garbage when you return.
I have an fn1 and fn2 key on my preonic and holding fn1 replaces qwer,asdf,zxcv with f1-4,f5-8,f9-12 and fn2 does f13-24 in the same positions. some games have been able to map things to them but the glyphs tend to not work, but mostly I use them for global shortcuts like turning on or off the mobo LEDs, multi monitor layout presets, etc
Can you link this keyboard? My Sway config is about to get really complicated
its the custom firmware that does it, the layout and layers I just made up as I needed them but its flashing the firmware every time I want to change something. There are other keyboards and keyboard firmwares that can do this, I use qmk, and its possible to mod normal keyboards to varying difficulty. The keyboard I have is a semi diy that came as a kit but there are others ready to use but still customizable in firmware. I think there was also another kb firmware that let you live edit the layouts without flashing firmware using a config software but I haven't looked in to it.
Links to the firmware+keyboard. https://docs.qmk.fm/ https://olkb.com/
I can't even remember 1-12; if I ever need to get in the boot menu, I just spam all 12 at the same time and hope one kicks in in time.
This is why I replaced my F11 key with a YuGiOh Blue Eyes White Dragon key
Long live mechanical keyboards
The important question this raises is:
After replacing the Windows logo key cap with a penguin or distro logo, what symbol do you put on the new key?
Double wield those penguins, babyyy!!!
"TURBO"
I tried custom laser engraving caps, some of my favourites:
'Attack 0' and 'Attack 1', actual key legends on some '80s Casio home computer
'Run Stop' from Commodre machines
The "diagonal half full box" inverse video key from Atari XL/XE keyboards.
I suspect the various Jolly Roger designs from either fictional or real pirates would work well. Or various "spell type" or "faction" logos from games.
I guess some people would suggest the GNU gnu?
On a more serious note: The mapped application/action would make sense.
Honestly, I'm down for this. We can also have a market for replacement key caps of the button and then be able to bind the co-pilot key to whatever you want. I'm thinking of the amazingness of that being able to set it up so Sublime automatically opened something to keep pressing or have it as a secondary modifier key so you can have co-pilot shift for your shortcuts which means that you don't have to do the awkward L