Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards, though not yet.

  • @thehatfox@lemmy.world
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    2881 year ago

    So now Windows bloat is extending to the physical keyboard itself.

    Looking at the Microsoft blog post they haven’t said exactly how they want keyboard layouts to change. So on a full size keyboard this could be either new key entirely, or replace an existing (and arguably more useful) key.

    • @killeronthecorner@lemmy.world
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      1651 year ago

      They should put it adjacent to the up arrow key so that when I hit it accidentally, copilot can ask “did you mean to press the up arrow key?”, which will cause me to smash the keyboard with my fists and then I’ll need to buy another one. Sales will skyrocket.

      • @QuaternionsRock@lemmy.world
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        331 year ago

        Not particularly relevant, but my friend randomly told me to press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Windows key+L one day. I’m still horrified.

        • @TheCannonball@lemmy.world
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          361 year ago

          I just tried this. Why does this exist? Why does this need to be a shortcut? Who uses LinkedIn so much that they need to use a 5 key shortcut to get there faster?

          • @merc@sh.itjust.works
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            401 year ago

            For anybody who doesn’t want to try it, this key combo opens LinkedIn in your default browser.

            It’s not a setting you can change, the only way to disable it is to edit the registry.

            WTF.

            • @Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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              51 year ago

              It’s not a setting you can change, the only way to disable it is to edit the registry.

              So you are saying the setting can be changed. You can even do it over terminal if you like.

          • @LinuxSBC@lemm.ee
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            181 year ago

            They have an “Office Key” on some official keyboards. Pressing Office+L opens LinkedIn. The Office key is actually mapped to that long modifier shortcut.

          • Promethiel
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            41 year ago

            Did you think the MS C-Suite does much other than bloviate on LinkedIn in-between (and during) meetings? It’s for them and execs everywhere.

        • that guy
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          31 year ago

          🤢 🤢 🤢 🤢 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮

    • @jonne@infosec.pub
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      311 year ago

      I mean, they did it before with the windows/super button. Before that you just had ctrl and alt there.

      • @rottingleaf@lemmy.zip
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        291 year ago

        I use mainly keyboard-controlled WM configurations, so a Super key or a Meta key is useful for me, to separate it from Alt and Ctrl.

        Which reminds us of the fact that PC keyboards didn’t have those or a Windows key obviously, but Sun keyboards, from googling, did have a Super key.

        So it’s not them.

        (And it’s not bad in my opinion)

    • MudMan
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      241 year ago

      I don’t remember the last time I pressed the “right click” contextual menu key, so honestly it’s not like it’ll be too annoying. Unless they do replace an actually useful key, at which point I guess the people making “make Windows actually work good” apps will get to live another year.

      • 📛Maven
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        311 year ago

        I pressed it like, 20 minutes ago? It’s a pretty normal part of a lot of coding workflow, not to mention browsing, accessing context menu keyboard shortcuts without having to move your hand to the mouse for one buttonpress.

        • MudMan
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          61 year ago

          Fair enough. Alt used to be that before we decided to have a button to annoyingly pop up the menu strip. And there’s still Alt Gr for that in full sized keyboards if we want to go back that way.

          • 📛Maven
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            91 year ago

            Alt Gr is something else. Non-english keyboards use it all day every day for typing their charactersets.

            It could probably replace the right OS key, though.

            • KSP Atlas
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              31 year ago

              Yeah and even on many english keyboards it is used to show special characters

      • snowe
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        51 year ago

        I’ve never even heard of this key that you are talking about, yet it’s mentioned several times in this thread.

          • snowe
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            11 year ago

            thanks for the picture. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Just to check, I went over and looked at my wife’s work laptop and it’s not on that keyboard, but it is on her external keyboard, but not as a separate key, it’s part of the print screen button!

    • Captain Aggravated
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      131 year ago

      Then you had all those “for the web” Windows 95 PCs that had all the extra buttons like the Calculator and Web Browser and Sleep buttons scattered around above the keyboard that I don’t think people tended to use because Windows wasn’t built with them in mind. It seems they’re in the keyboard standard now as if they were any other key.

    • @Fermion@feddit.nl
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      1 year ago

      Swap it with the windows key and put the windows key as the function modified keypress. As long as I can still disable that key, it would be fine.

  • @thezeesystem@lemmy.world
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    1811 year ago

    Before I even read it I knew it was more ads or AI of some sort and yep it’s both. Sure yeah we need more ads. Can I get a Microsoft store button on mouses now? Ohoh a dedicated 2nd screen for ads on every monitor. We must please the share holders and the rich!

    • @bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
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      371 year ago

      I’m plenty fine with all ads consolidated to a dedicated monitor, that would certainly never face the wall on minimal brightness

    • @Empricorn@feddit.nl
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      31 year ago

      You’re right, but you also know the answer to this. Loath as I am to say it, the solution to this is simple: just use Linux.

  • @1984@lemmy.today
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    1561 year ago

    If only keyboards would have function keys for this purpose, named F1 to F10 for example, so any program could use them for their specific functions…

    • Nahh gotta place them where they’re obvious in your face and a constant reminder of CONSUME PRODUCT and be accidently pressed! Can guarantee you it’ll take up part of the space of a key hotspot

      • @deafboy@lemmy.world
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        501 year ago

        At least on the PC, it’s easier to remap the buttons. What enrages me more are the TV remote controls with buttons dedicated to specific streaming apps. I mean… none of these services will outlive the TV itself. I’ll just have to look at buttons that do nothing for years.

        • @RGB3x3@lemmy.world
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          71 year ago

          I personally find those useful, but I can never find the combination of services that works with my needs.

          There’s always like Vudu or Sling that just becomes a wasted button.

        • JJROKCZ
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          1 year ago

          I get your point but at least three of those services will outlive the tvs expected life. Netflix Hulu and espn aren’t going anywhere, at most espn will be rolled into Disney+ and a software update could point that button to it

          My TVs crackle and I heart radio buttons on the other hand…

      • Flying Squid
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        121 year ago

        Here’s an idea… what if we had every key do all kinds of weird shit?

      • MrScottyTay
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        121 year ago

        I’d like them to leave F13 onwards alone, purely because it’s nice that they’ll only ever do what I want them to do

    • veroxii
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      131 year ago

      I remember those keyboard layout cutouts (were they called keyboard templates?) you got which you put on the keyboard with extra explanations of what each function key did in WordPerfect or Lotus or whatever.

      I’m old.

      • @1984@lemmy.today
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        31 year ago

        Yeah I remember them too. Sometimes games would come with them even, to help with all the keyboard shortcuts. :)

      • @sailingbythelee@lemmy.world
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        21 year ago

        I found out recently that you can buy replacement keycap sets that have many of the Vim functions printed on them, and I thought that was pretty exciting. I am also old, lol.

        • Magnus Åhall
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          21 year ago

          After 25 years of using vim I have replaced a lot of otherwise useful reflexes and brain capacity with vim keybindings (using a swedish variant of Dvorak none the less). I am way too old for needing a cheat sheet stuck on the keyboard, and it would even then be wrong not using QWERTY.

  • @LufyCZ@lemmy.world
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    1231 year ago

    I’m getting Bixby button flashbacks.

    Ho well, my wallet’s gonna cry but I’m sure the mechkeyboard community will welcome my ass

  • Phoenixz
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    981 year ago

    copilot key will eventually be required

    Fuck that, and fuck you, Microsoft

  • @gedaliyah@lemmy.world
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    871 year ago

    Microsoft learns nothing from their continued pattern of going all-in on a trendy and unproven concept. Windows 8 “live tiles” that were supposed to create one look and feel across devices, Cortana was supposed to be the digital assistant of the future, they even did their own poorly executed folding phone.

  • HorreC
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    761 year ago

    OR, hear me out, we just have it mapped to alt+win(meta) key and this will be a nothing burger.

    • @WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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      481 year ago

      Stop being such a socialist. They need to sell more keyboards, and to make the keyboards you own unique to their brand.

      • Deceptichum
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        351 year ago

        Have you met keyboard people? You don’t need to do anything to sell them more keyboards.

        • JJROKCZ
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          41 year ago

          True but we’re not interested in adding a dedicated adware/spyware button

        • HidingCat
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          41 year ago

          This is me. Saw a cool keycap set the other day, and before I knew it BOOM! New keyboard.

          I only have 4 (working ones) so far, but that’s still probably one too many. xD

      • Flying Squid
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        1 year ago

        I said this above… I’ve had the same Das Keyboard model so long that the USB ports in the side are USB 1.0. And I will use it as long as I can because it’s a great keyboard and I’ve never needed a new keyboard since I bought it even when I’ve needed a new computer. Fuck this shit.

        • Magnus Åhall
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          31 year ago

          I’m still using a Kinesis Contoured daily with PS/2 connection. Pretty impressed a new motherboard still came with a combo mouse/keyboard PS/2 port.

  • @ikidd@lemmy.world
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    711 year ago

    Gee, I imagine this will go the same way as Cortana, but now there will be a key forever visible to be it’s gravestone.

  • LiveLM
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    1 year ago

    Oh cool, another useless gimmick just like the ‘Office Key’

    • @RecallMadness@lemmy.nz
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      51 year ago

      What about the LinkedIn key.

      That’s actually a shortcut for ctrl+alt+shift+L… that is an (unconfigurable?) hotkey for opening LinkedIn in edge.

        • Ook the Librarian
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          191 year ago

          Don’t you see? They’re fucking with the denominator. My 60% is already technically closer to 58%. If they keep adding keys, I don’t know how my mech can keep up with the shrinkflation. I can’t become one of those 50% weirdos. Microsoft is just finding more ways to ruin my life.

        • @Psythik@lemmy.world
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          -121 year ago

          Yeah and I already do. But why make it a key combo when you could just have a single dedicated key instead?

          It’s not like anyone actually uses the menu key or the right Start key anyway. 'Bout damn time Microsoft remaps them to something more useful. Next they should do the Pause/Break key. That one hasn’t been useful since the DOS days.

          • FreeSoftware Ganoo
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            1 year ago

            We should also get a chrome key

            And a windows store key

            And a Microsoft.com link key

            A key to open minecraft

            Why not a key for launching the “windows action menu” or whatever they call it

            A key to open the control panel

            How about a key to open the settings menu?

            Why are we limiting ourselves? We should have 500 keys and at least 300 of them should be unique to windows.

            • Magnus Åhall
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              41 year ago

              Try a stream deck, each key is also a small monitor for customizable button actions.

              • @kux@lemm.ee
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                31 year ago

                it had a few hardcore fans, a quick search for RT9450 shows people still trying to get that to work up to about 2020

                honestly i wouldn’t mind having another scroll wheel/bar on the keyboard somewhere, in the middle above the function keys might be cool

                also fyi that link can be tidied to https://www.ebay.com/itm/363221421164

            • @Psythik@lemmy.world
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              -131 year ago

              Because none of those keys are useful. AI is useful and isn’t Microsoft exclusive.

              Once keyboards start adding the key, I’d be legitimately surprised if the major Distros didn’t eventually follow suit and integrate AI into their platforms as well. Hell, it might get built right into your favorite desktop environment in a couple years.

              • Beefy-Tootz
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                81 year ago

                I get your point, AI is useful for some people, but what about the rest of us who don’t want it or use it? I genuinely use the menu key and would prefer to keep it functioning as it does and now I’m going to be forced to lose that key and now I have to deal with AI? It has no use for me. I also don’t want something actively watching and “thinking” about what I’m doing. I want my computer somewhat dumb and to only do what I tell it to. If you want a keyboard with a dedicated AI button, get one with a macro pad or something. Don’t inconvenience the rest of us by forcing a nonsensical change

              • Flying Squid
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                51 year ago

                Their point was that you could just assign the scroll lock key (or whatever) to open ChatGPT instead because who the fuck uses scroll lock?

                • @Psythik@lemmy.world
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                  21 year ago

                  Funny you say that, cause as a FL Studio user I hit that key all the time. (It switches between auto/manual scrolling of playlist, i.e. it locks/unlocks auto scrolling.)

            • @Psythik@lemmy.world
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              -81 year ago

              Yes but you’re missing my point entirely. What I’m saying is that I’m happy that Microsoft is making it official, so that I don’t have to remap anything.

              • @Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world
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                71 year ago

                MS used to sell a keyboard with a custom button to start your web browser.

                Now that web browsing is common but that key has been removed from keyboards, do you still remap a hotkey to bring up Firefox?

                • @QuaternionsRock@lemmy.world
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                  41 year ago

                  I’m ambivalent about all this, but I think the distinction is that a web browser button would simply open a persistent window, and therefore only really needs to be used once or twice per “session”. Copilot is designed to act more like the Start menu, in that it is opened frequently and disappears after each use.

                  That being said, and as much as I use ChatGPT myself, it’s hard to see this as anything more than an easy way to further the perception of Microsoft as first-class AI company, thereby justifying its high stock price for a corporation with limited new growth opportunities.

          • @kurcatovium@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Hey! I do use menu key regularly! And same with pause and scroll lock! Print creen is obvious and everyone uses it. Right? Right!? RIGHT?!?

            • @psud@lemmy.world
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              21 year ago

              Print screen used to be a good button for screen capture/window capture. But now the various screenshot apps do the job better. Ctrl+Prt Scr is maybe still good for being fast

          • lemmyvore
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            21 year ago

            Pause is usually the compose key (diacritics starter) on Linux desktops. But I’ll agree about Scroll Lock, that one is truly useless.

            • @psud@lemmy.world
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              21 year ago

              Excel uses scroll lock to make people think it’s broken lock the scroll bars in case you don’t want to be able to see the rest of your sheet

  • @Cheskaz@lemmy.world
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    661 year ago

    I swear I blinked and suddenly AI was so ubiquitous that I feel like I’m living, studying and writing incorrectly…

  • Phoenixz
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    651 year ago

    And again, install Linux and get rid of this Microsoft bullshit

  • @Adanisi@lemmy.zip
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    651 year ago

    Ugh. Why do keyboards have to have Microsoft logos. I hate it. I want nothing to do with them.

    • @BreakDecks@lemmy.ml
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      551 year ago

      AI is absolutely “a thing”, not sure there’s really a debate about that. The desperation here is they want to be the first company to completely immerse itself in Generative AI, but they’re moving so fast they’re just shoving every experiment they can come up with down their customers’ throats.

      AI is going to be a huge part of the future, but Microsoft might not be a part of that future if they fuck up with over implementation of nascent tech.