KDE Calls Microsoft's Copilot Key 'Dumb', Will Let You Remap It Soon (neowin.net) 46
Plasma 6.4.5 is coming September 9th, reports Neowin. But they also report that the KDE team is already focusing on other upcoming release:
Starting with KDE Frameworks, KDE's collection of foundational libraries, version 6.18 promises to let you do something with that "dumb" Microsoft Copilot key found on many new laptops. The developers will soon allow you to set up keyboard shortcuts using this new key, and the team plans to let you remap it to another key in the future. If you're curious, one user on KDE's bug tracker noted that on GNOME, the key combination shows up as "Meta+Shift+Touchpad Disable" and is fully remappable...
When you try to install a Flatpak from a website like Flathub in Plasma 6.5 [coming in October], Discover now has proper support for flatpak+https:// URLs, so it opens automatically. 6.5 is also bringing a much stricter window activation policy on Wayland to stop applications from rudely stealing your focus. And now, when you mute your microphone with a shortcut, the "Mute Microphone" button will mute all input sources, not just the active one.
Since Firefox does not block the system from sleeping during a download, the Plasma Browser Integration extension for Firefox has gotten an update to handle that job itself.
When you try to install a Flatpak from a website like Flathub in Plasma 6.5 [coming in October], Discover now has proper support for flatpak+https:// URLs, so it opens automatically. 6.5 is also bringing a much stricter window activation policy on Wayland to stop applications from rudely stealing your focus. And now, when you mute your microphone with a shortcut, the "Mute Microphone" button will mute all input sources, not just the active one.
Since Firefox does not block the system from sleeping during a download, the Plasma Browser Integration extension for Firefox has gotten an update to handle that job itself.
Good! Focus stealing sucks (Score:2)
Nothing more annoying than an interjecting focus change midway through typing.
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Re:Good! Focus stealing sucks (Score:4, Informative)
I have been remapping my keyboard keys when needed since Slackware 1.2.3, my first Linux. Here is an example:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/tit... [archlinux.org]
If something is good... (Score:4, Insightful)
..people will choose it, wait in line for it and pay for it
If a company decides to force something on customers, be suspicious and skeptical
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It's actually a problem for some keyboard layouts. Japanese keyboards already have a fairly small spacebar because they need some extra language keys down there. Adding yet another key is going to make the average spacebar about 3 units wide (as wide as 3 normal size keys). Less if Microsoft insists on CoPilot being a 1.5 unit key.
windows key (Score:4, Insightful)
Now get rid of that pointless windows key.
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the only thing that it makes faster is all the shortcuts that are tied to the windows key like, I for settings, E for explorer, P for screen projection, L for lock, D for show desktop,
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So you need to use two fingers at the very left of the keyboard? Too awkward. The idea is for it to fit into typing flow.
I've used Emacs for 30+ years and never found that to be a problem, even after long edit sessions.
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I'm more of a vim guy. Tried emacs at one time, found it depended too much on hotkeys.
I wouldn't say hotkeys, but keys and key combinations, sure, though they usually make some sense and follow patterns. I'll note that functions can be (re)bound to different keys or key combinations by the user, though I generally don't recommend it for your own compatibility with the standard. Personally, I only bind functions to unused keys/combinations. Even the characters you type are bound to the function "self-insert-command". Also, Emacs can emulate Vim. :-)
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What about three or four? I don't understand why you think additional work on your behalf is a benefit to you. The key isn't taking up any space on the keyboard, it's literally in a place where there was blank space before it was introduced. Reducing two key shortcuts to one not only makes it easier to execute one shortcut, it provides more ability to add additional two or three key shortcuts (because three and four key shortcuts are difficult to type).
As an Emacs user you should be singing the praises of h
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CTRL-ESC also brings up the windows start menu, and then you start typing.
Leaving aside the two button instead of one approach, the windows key does more than that for app access. For example I can't hit Ctrl+Esc+1 to access explorer like I can with Win+1 (executes the first icon on the taskbar). I can't hit ctrl+esc+right to split the screen like I can with the windows key. A lot of this is due to the fact that splitting one key into two precludes the easy ability to add additional keys comfortably.
Re:windows key (Score:5, Insightful)
The Windows key is the easiest way to start a program by typing the first part of the name.
That's because Microsoft keeps hiding where programs are located and forcing you to "search" for something rather than going directly to it.
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Re:windows key (Score:4, Insightful)
How can you go directly to every program on a system with 100 programs on it?
Since W95 they had a menu thing that worked ok.
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Since W95 they had a menu thing that worked ok.
Except objectively they didn't. A flat menu providing every option in a tree structure is one of the slowest ways to provide a user with options. It's the same reason why the subway line takes so long to clear. The more options presented to the user the more analysis paralysis sets in.
Having frequently used apps in a prominent location is a massive step up from Windows 95. Having a searchable app list is a step up again. And for those people who insist on a flat menu with every option, you can still manuall
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"Worked" is a bit of an exaggeration. It rapidly filled up with crap and many users ignored it, just keeping icons on their desktop instead. Finding stuff was made harder because companies started putting apps in folders named after themselves, so you had to remember not only the app name but who made it too.
Any attempt to organize was tedious and usually undone when the app updated and re-created its default Start Menu shortcuts.
Search is better, but needs tags. Instead of searching for Libreoffice... I th
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I would suggest that no one actually use 100 programs on a regular basis. Power users, nerds, might, it is possible, but most people have a handful of programs they use repeatedly, and then a bunch of other programs they use infrequently. From what I've seen the less technical a user you are, the fewer programs you use. Top 10 use cases covers what most people want to do 90% of the time 19 times out of 20. (this isn't scientific, It thought I'd throw a bit of archaic stats mumbo jumbo in, wh
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Prioritize? You can move things around on the classic Start menu, you know.
If you don't have basic organizational skills, you shouldn't use a desktop at all. Go ahead and use a phone and look at ads all day.
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That's because Microsoft keeps hiding where programs are located and forcing you to "search" for something rather than going directly to it.
"Microsoft wants it this way" is no excuse for taking over my computer, one key at a time. Saying "that's beacause" assumes anyone asked WHY that key is not available, which nobody did. The discussion was about Microsoft taking over Yet Another Key they made manufacturers put in.
Shove a sock in it, Microsoft apologist.
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Now this is stupid. Almost every OS/DE including Gnome and KDE follow this paradigm : Hotkey + First Letter + Enter to launch programs.
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Launching an application via quick search can be much faster than selecting it from a menu or an oft-crowded desktop (even assuming you can *see* the icons on your desktop). I've been doing this on a Mac for a couple decades now (first with Quicksilver, then later with Spotlight), and I've used it on my Mint machine for some time as well.
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That's because Microsoft keeps hiding where programs are located and forcing you to "search" for something rather than going directly to it.
False. And also curse you for thinking that using a menu is somehow a good idea on Slashdot - a forum where once people praised the idea of using the keyboard, a terminal, and not having to reach for your mouse.
The Windows key has been the best way of starting software since Vista, long before any complaints about "hiding" or bullshit like that. It's much faster to hit windows, type CR, and hit enter than it is for me to click start, then click chrome (a button prominent on the previous used apps on the sta
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The Windows key is the easiest way to start a program by typing the first part of the name. For example win-e-x-c-enter is the easiest way to start Excel short of having the icon pinned to the taskbar.
So a poor man's ALT+F2?
Then you can use the windows key to do short-cuts affecting windows
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There's nothing pointless about any key on a keyboard. It's one of the most useful keys on the windows OS and can easily be remapped to anything on Linux (though I use it on Linux for the same kind of shortcuts as Windows).
Compose key (Score:2)
Why don't they add something actually useful like a compose key.
Extra Modifier Please (Score:2)
One great use would be as an extra modifier for global shortcuts. So e.g. Control+Copilot+G to launch Gimp, and so on. I could make good use of that.
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One great use would be as an extra modifier for global shortcuts. So e.g. Control+Copilot+G to launch Gimp, and so on. I could make good use of that.
You can't do that. The copilot is not a real key to the keyboard protocol. It sends something like Windows, Shift, F23. You cannot sensibly combine it with other keys or make it reliably control a modifier state. This is completely unlike the Windows key which is not only its own unique keycode but also typically gets non-conflicting lines on the keyboard matrix, so the hardware lets you combine it with any other key.
There are still unused keycodes available, AFAIK. It makes zero sense that the Copilot key
Windows key is also dumb (Score:2)
A full key to open the menu? What works also with ctrl-esc? Of course that was also dumb. And it also did not matter, you just remap it and have a meta key.
Proper muting? (Score:2)
Rely on Microsoft do be too dumb .... (Score:2)
to even get a simple key remapping feature right.
To imagine that globally hospitals to nuclear plants und banks all rely on their software is chilling.