Google Wants To Take Away Your Capslock Key

heptapod writes "Slashdot reported earlier about Google's Chrome notebook and keen-eyed readers would have noticed the lack of a caps lock key. 'According to Google, this will improve the quality of the comments, because people will not be able to write all in capital letters. I'm not a fan of the caps lock key myself. I never use it, so it can go to hell, for all I'm concerned. But taking away choice from people is not good, especially when this is not going to improve the quality of comments.'"

Comments

I love the caps lock key

[david.given]

...I couldn't use Emacs or shell editing without it. Beats me why it's labelled 'caps lock', though --- the other control keys on the keyboard are all labelled 'Ctrl'.

Re:Does anyone actually use it legitimately?

[germansausage]

CAD guy here. We have lots of drawings where the convention is to put all text in caps. I use capslock all the time.

Use of Caps Lock key

[managerialslime]

For modern web-based applications, you are correct that there is little or no reason for the Caps Lock key.

But for the MILLIONS of people whose job requires them to use antiquated legacy systems, it is often essential.

The largely character-based systems used for accounting, order entry, invoicing, and other core functions are often accessed through terminal emulation software or first generation client-server software. These systems often have a great number of "lookup" codes for everything from SKU to client numbers that fail when using lower case. Those still using first generation client-server software are especially inconvenienced as some of these programs have no option to remap the keyboard.

The sheer volume and costs of re-engineering these systems mean that they will be with us for years to come, no matter how ugly and inefficient when compared to modern systems.

(Well, you did ask.)

Re:e.e. cummings approves

[Doug Neal]

And stupid people will find a way to be annoying no matter what you do.

Like just holding down the shift key?

Yes.

Re:You can't fix stupid

[rockout]

You may not, but apparently everyone else needs to RTFA a little more closely. It appears to me that it's very likely that the reason for omitting caps-lock is just to save space, and a little joke about message board comments was taken a little too seriously by the so-called writer at Gizmodo. It also seems very likely that a double-tap on the shift key will toggle on caps-lock, as it does on the iPhone.

Really, how can you read that article and not come away with the feeling that the writer is a little clueless, or trying to create a story where there isn't one, or both?