Re: [Usability] Keyboard

[Dedeco <dedeco ufmg br>]

Alan Horkan wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Mar 2007, Dedeco wrote:
>
>   
>> Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 21:57:20 -0300
>> From: Dedeco <dedeco ufmg br>
>> To: usability gnome org
>> Subject: [Usability] Keyboard
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I would like to ask, and I am not 100% sure this is the right place, but it
>> seems to me from what I have read.
>>
>> Why doesn't Gnome accept the Super key (or Windows keys) as modifiers of other
>> keys to its shortcuts?
>>     
>
> since you know it is sometimes also called the super key you are already
> well on your way to finding many more answers.
>
> Short answer the reason is largely historical and Gnome could not assume
> keyboards would include the super key.
>
> Longer answer search google as follows:
> site:mail.gnome.org usability super
> and you will find many more discussions touching on the subject
>
> There are probably a few things we could do to make things easier for
> those who do have a super key and I dont think a new computer in at least
> 5 years has shipped without one (depending on your definition of computer)
> the only remaining factor is an interested developer submitting patches
> good enough to be accepted.
>
> A quick search of bugzilla turns up a fair few requests
> http://bugzilla.gnome.org/buglist.cgi?query=super
>   
After much fiddling around I could find my way to use Super keys as
modifiers. Although there are many usability issues here. I decided to
search around after reading the Usability pages of Gnome. I subscribed
to this list and I think I can contribute with an issue.

First of all, Gnome knows I am using a keyboard with a super key,
because my first try to put the shortcut "Super+R" resulted in "Super_L".

I know that keyboards have (independently of OS) separate events for key
presses and releases. So Gnome know that before I released the Super key
I had pressed the "R" key. It should conclude that I WANT to use it as a
modifier, don't you agree?? But the naive user will think "Gnome is bad,
it can't understand when I hold the windows keys like Ctrl or Alt".  I
know that is untrue. I need to find it.

On the Keyboard preferences, I found a promising thing: "Alt/Win key
behavior". The window I found was so criptic that I didn't know what to
do. A screenshot is attached to illustrated.  I didn't know wich of the
options I should want. What I wanted was "Use both Super keys as a
equivalent modifier".

I would try to make code for this, but I have never developed graphic
applications in linux, and either in Gnome. :(

Regards,

Dedeco

Ps: I am not sure I can attach a message. I will keep it for a while,
maybe upload it to a public address later.