Function Keys Poll

Hardware feature is much better, rarely ever use function keys.

 

agreed.... i cant remember the last time i have had to hit the function button along with one of my function keys.... unless the intended command was F5 to refresh a web page....


hardware keys ftw

 

Agreed. Hardware functions much more convenient.

 

Definitely use the hardware functions the most, but wish I didn't have to hold Fn to use Expose or the overall spaces view. The hardware function on those is keyboard brightness which I rarely adjust, so I'd rather use them as standard function keys.

Anyone know how I can switch that? I have an approx 2 yr old MBP.

 

software - windows
hardware - OSX

 

Software for me. The only hardware functions that I use are F5 for reload and F6 to get to the address bar. So, I don't mind holding Fn for those.

Now, in Windows, it's the Hardware keys since Alt/Opt-F4 closes windows. Use that all the time, just like Cmd-W/Q in OSX.

 

Both actually.

Using the application KeyRemap4MacBook I can use the audio buttons (F3-F5) and the Spaces/Expose keys (F8-F11) simultaneously.
It won't work for brightness controls, but having the above options available as single keystrokes makes me a happy MBP user.

 

I guess because I have such an old school keyboard layout, I don't use the Fn key for any Fn function. I have my Fn key used for expose all windows, my f12 key for dashboard, and my f11 for show desktop. When I want to refresh a website I just hit R.

 

The thing is I use Expose, dashboard, etc a lot more than volume controls, media keys, so software keys are more logical. As for in Windows same thing.

 

I flip between both settings continuously - for general use, it's nice to have volume/brightness etc under one key press, but when working in applications I usually have a lot of custom key commands on the function keys which I'm using a lot.

So it depends on what I'm doing which setting I''ll be using...

 

I don't use function keys.

 

I've never really seen the need for function keys. Hardware controls seems the most useful function for them though.

 

Both, depending on which machine I am using to run whichever apps I need at the time for which ever project that needs to get done.