But, yes, data entry does require capslock, so it’s a bit odd to be removing it entirely. Particularly since businesses do make up quite a large number of people who buy computer things.

I use the End key A LOT! (Typed by holding down the right shift key with my right pinkie, but I also use CAPS LOCK a lot.)

Now, instead of the cursor jumping to the end of the line I’m currently editing, I delete something that I wanted to keep.

But do nix CAPS LOCK, or (in acknowledgement of some comments above) please, please, please will Lenovo physically separate it from the A key – whose proximity is the source of 99% of all swearing at my keyboard.

And really, if there is one person you don’t like to be angry, then it is Death.

I myself use the Caps Lock quite a bit as my right hand is usually busy with a digitizer. But beside that, it is a horrible idea to change ANYTHING on a standard keyboard. You should be able to sit down at a new keyboard and type on it without having to constantly stare at it to see where the geniuses designing it decided to relocate the keys.

The keyboard I am currently using is an example of this. On every peecee keyboard I’ve used since the early ’80s, there is a block of keys that is two high and three wide with the cursor controls:

INSERT—HOME—–PAGE UP
DELETE—-END—–PAGE DOWN

I know those babies by heart. But on this &^%$#@$ keyboard somebody decided I would prefer a modified cursor control block, two wide and three high, with a double-height DELETE key:

HOME—-END
DEL—–PAGE UP
ETE—–PAGE DOWN

with the INSERT key exiled to Siberia. The end result is either a.) I screw up EVERY SINGLE TIME I use the cursor control keys, or b.) I type 25% slower and have to constantly look away from whatever I might be looking at to make sure I don’t do so.

That said, it is absurdly large for its limited function. On my MacBook Pro keyboard it is right on the home row and is about the size of two regular keys, and larger than the tab key (which I probably use ten times as often).

The only reason there could possibly be for making it so big was for the aesthetic balance of the keyboard, mirroring the Return key on the right. If that’s true, though, that’s just dumb.

It is NOTHING but a wASTE of tIME! Oh, and space too.

How to spot a complete non-typist, even if they do (like me) use several fingers on each hand — they hit the capslock key before entering a field that has to be entered in CAPS. They are probably also the people that take a hand off the keyboard to click on the ACCEPT button, when pressing Return would have done.

Which reminds me… the second biggest threat to productivity to those who enter serious amounts of data on a computer is — The Mouse!

I always hated that thing…I used to hit it so often by accident (only to have the machine temporarily freeze while it searched for the Help information), that I finally removed the durn key myself.

And yes, I agree, make the Home, End, Pg Up/Dn keys larger and more easy to access.

Sure, anything developed now or in recent years can likely handle (as is, or with minor modification) forcin case changes for the actual recorded data, but some of these legacy systems are the backbone of many smaller businesses, and the companies that own them tend to be (imo) less than interested in modernizing their software.

Then again, perhaps this is just the kind of kick in the rear those companies need.

I do hope you don’t mean that one where the CTRL key isn’t on bottom left like every other keyboard. That damm thing is a nightmare.

2) I like Logitech’s big delete key.

3) I’m not fond of the placement of Fn, like most people. How bout putting that where Caps is?, or even combining the two– the functions are not incompatible.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2010/08/16/microsoft-reveals-customizable-lcd-keyboard/

(and no maybe microsoft didn’t invent it, it is just a nice demo of what I’m thinking about)

Also a few games use the caps-lock key as a run toggle. Although this obviously will be less of an issue for netbooks, and I’m sure its easy enough to re-bind.

It’s a good tool for the job, use it. Holding down Shift costs you one of your touch typing fingers.

Keep in mind I can type very fast without looking at the keyboard or screen.