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Why do so many split keyboards not have "F" keys? (self.mechanical_keyboards)

submitted 1 month ago by 0101100101 to c/mechanical_keyboards

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Undoubtedly, programmers are a major user of keyboards, and IDE developers love function keys for esoteric shortcuts for debugging, moving around, and running code. So why do so many split keyboards not actually have the function keys.

I think makers are missing out a huge audience.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (6 children)

I will answer with a simple question: When's the last time you had to press a function key and a number key at the same time?

When it comes to split keyboards and other kinds of shaped keyboards, smaller is usually better to a point. Standard keyboards are usually more fixed in place and as such, the size doesn't matter as much as long as you can still reasonably use it.

[–] 0101100101 2 points 1 month ago (5 children)

I don't remember the last time I had to press a number key and the enter key at the same time. I can't remember the last time I had to press a number key and ctrl at the same time, so obviously by your logic, that's two more keys that do not need to be on the keyboard!

[–] NostraDavid 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

number key and ctrl

Ctrl-[1-9] selects the first few, and last tab in most browsers.

I get your point, though. I, for one, wish vertically staggered keebs had more keys. (just straight up F1-F24, because more keys is more better)

[–] 0101100101 2 points 3 weeks ago

it's alt+num on debian and MATE! :)

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