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physically swapping fn & ctrl key

M

mobilebuddha

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 31, 2008
222
25
Hello there, I'm in the market for a macbook (actually ordered one today from macconnection). my buddy who's been trying to convince me to get one has been telling me great things about it and I guess I'm finally convinced.

one of the things that I can't stand about a mac (perhaps laptops only) is the fact that the Fn key is at the bottom left corner. I'm used to having ctrl key there. I was told that you can change this in the software. But what about the physical keys themselves? Will I be able to pry the "caps" off and swap the 2 keys? Could someone let me know?

Thanks again!
 
mobilebuddha said:
Hello there, I'm in the market for a macbook (actually ordered one today from macconnection). my buddy who's been trying to convince me to get one has been telling me great things about it and I guess I'm finally convinced.

one of the things that I can't stand about a mac (perhaps laptops only) is the fact that the Fn key is at the bottom left corner. I'm used to having ctrl key there. I was told that you can change this in the software. But what about the physical keys themselves? Will I be able to pry the "caps" off and swap the 2 keys? Could someone let me know?

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
You'll get use to it how it is. I wouldn't even bother in fear I would break it.
 
You can probably remap it via software but it's mostly useless endeavor.

OSX does not use CTRL keys much; instead the COMMAND key, which is in a much more optimal position is used for most of the keyboard short cuts.
 
You can remap the functions of the keys, like you said. You just go into system prefs, keyboard and mouse, keyboard, then click the "modifier keys" button on the bottom of that screen. There you can reset the functions of some of the keys. I wouldn't bother trying to switch the caps though. I'd be afraid to break the keyboard. I switched the functions of my control and option keys on my mbp and just left the key caps as is. I never really look at the keyboard anyway, I just use it, so it's all good.
 
I want control(command) key at the bottom left corner too.

I use control+Z,X,C,V,A,S,F a lot. If command key is under X, I don't know which finger to hold it when cut and paste. If it's at the fn key position, I can use pinkie though.
 
I Just did that, on the Alu macbook 2.4 with backlit! works fine, I swapped the Fn key with the ctrl key! much better now ( oh and I also remapped the ctrl key to be cmd , so when i press ctrl + v on my keyboard if will past, I got sooo used to use my pinky and V to paste... can't let go of that!!! :D

And getting the keys off was no problem at all! :eek:
 
heh, except i just bought the last gen white macbook 2.4. and i guess you can't pry the keys out. oh well..

finnschi said:
I Just did that, on the Alu macbook 2.4 with backlit! works fine, I swapped the Fn key with the ctrl key! much better now ( oh and I also remapped the ctrl key to be cmd , so when i press ctrl + v on my keyboard if will past, I got sooo used to use my pinky and V to paste... can't let go of that!!! :D

And getting the keys off was no problem at all! :eek:
Click to expand...
 
mobilebuddha said:
heh, except i just bought the last gen white macbook 2.4. and i guess you can't pry the keys out. oh well..
Click to expand...

Of course you can pry them off - they just snap on and off. About 1 in a hundred break a lug off the plastic scissor mechanism in the process...

Lift one edge of the key with a fingernail and then lift the opposite edge.
 
DoubleCommand

Uhhhh, I might as well recommend DoubleCommand, it might help. It swaps keys (I use it on my desktop b/c I have a wireless keyboard made for Windows computers).
 
goldfronts said:
I think you'd be better off getting used to the keys positions. Over time you'll adapt
Click to expand...

No, sorry, but you will never adapt. This is because all the other keyboards in the world you ever use will have the control key where the Mac fn key is.

So, I might get used to the location of the fn key briefly, but then when I go to work (where I don't use a mac) then I'm all messed up again and I have to re-adjust to the location of the control key.

If you never plan to ever type on any keyboard that is not a Mac...then you might be okay. :) Otherwise, this non-standard key location is horrible.
 
trulore said:
No, sorry, but you will never adapt. This is because all the other keyboards in the world you ever use will have the control key where the Mac fn key is.

So, I might get used to the location of the fn key briefly, but then when I go to work (where I don't use a mac) then I'm all messed up again and I have to re-adjust to the location of the control key.

If you never plan to ever type on any keyboard that is not a Mac...then you might be okay. :) Otherwise, this non-standard key location is horrible.
Click to expand...

Speaking as a person used to using 5 different keyboard layouts (QWERTY Mac, QWERTY PC, Dvorak Left, Dvorak Right, and Colemak) you DO get used to it...it just takes practice and a quick look at the layout of the keyboard you are using to make sure you are using the correct layout while you type. Personally I like QWERTY Mac and Dvorak Left best.
 
I never used a Mac, but i'm planning to buy my first one, and this is important to me:

Is it possible to remap the Caps Lock key into a Backwards Delete one? (Backspace in Win)

I can adapt to changes in layout, but the point is that that one is quite fastening. I did it after researching about different layouts, and i figured it out that, for me, that simple change was the best thing to do.

Thanks!
 
trulore said:
No, sorry, but you will never adapt. This is because all the other keyboards in the world you ever use will have the control key where the Mac fn key is.

So, I might get used to the location of the fn key briefly, but then when I go to work (where I don't use a mac) then I'm all messed up again and I have to re-adjust to the location of the control key.

If you never plan to ever type on any keyboard that is not a Mac...then you might be okay. :) Otherwise, this non-standard key location is horrible.
Click to expand...

What a ridiculous thing to say...I do it every day when I come home from a Windows desktop to my Mac. Was it a bit weird the first few times? Sure - but if you can type (and I mean really type, not move one finger at a decent speed) you'll stop noticing after a few days. Similarly the @ symbol is in the 'wrong' place for me on my Mac, as are ", ~, \, etc. To get # I have to do alt+3. Do I ever notice? Nope.

Your brain is a lot more capable than you seem to be willing to give it credit for.
 
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