Re: Key bindings proposal

[Uday S Reddy]

Juanma Barranquero writes:

> Am I not a user? Can't I state that I wouldn't want Emacs to
> forcefully hijack the Windows key for meta?

Yes, sure.  But, I think you are joining in in a subthread where
Yidong has been pushing the view that treating the windows key as meta
is unreasonable.  On the other hand, the wikipedia page on the windows
key says that it is *freqently* done.

> > We are talking about providing the users with a choice between
> >
> > - keyboard access to Emacs's own menus, and
> 
> I can access Emacs' own menus quite well if I set `w32-pass-alt-to-system'.

We have been through this before.  The current Emacs provision is
sub-optimal for normal users like me, and it is unworkable for
sticky-keys uses like Lennart.

> > - the fancy applications for a pair of modifier keys that Microsoft
> > dreamt up of as justification for putting its own trademark on them.
> 
> You don't find them useful. That does not make it "fancy applications".

Well, those of us that depend on commercial products develop antennae
that can sense the difference between a marketing gimmick and a truly
engineered feature.  The Microsoft-branded windows keys (for which the
keyboard manufacturers have to pay a royalty to Microsoft!) seem to
fall in the former camp.  So, the more we can violate Microsoft's
designs, the better we feel.

By arguing for using the windows key the Microsoft way, you are
unwittingly championing the Microsoft gimmicry.

> > Is that choice so hard to understand?
> 
> It is a false choice.

Is it really?  The majority of the functions that have been put on the
windows key can already be obtained by other means.

Win = C+Esc
Win+Tab = Alt+Tab
Win+F1 = F1
Win+R = C+Esc R
Win+F = C+Esc f
Win+Pause = C+Esc R sysdm.cpl (ok, that one needed some research!)
Win+L = C+Alt+Delete
win+[up] = Alt+Space x

and so on.  Many other functions are quite infrequently used.  None of
them seems important enough to give up good keyboard access to Emacs's
own menus.

For the seasoned Emacs users, something like 90% of our work is done
inside Emacs and only around 10% in Windows.  So, it makes sense for
us to put as many resources as possible at Emacs's disposal rather
than Windows.  I am afraid the logic is on Lennart's side.

For better or worse, Microsoft has ended up providing us with a good
pair of modifier keys.  Now, let us put them to good use!

> > - Uday Perplexed
> 
> Rhetorical  [http://www.unseelie.org/rpg/question.html]

Ok, I plead guilty to that charge.  But I have a point as well.

Cheers,
Uday