Thoughts on the "Mod4" key
(IMHO)
Firstly the name “Mod4″ is a disingenuous name to make developers of software for non-Microsoft operating systems feel better about using it. This key is a the “Windows” key, standard IBM PC compatible (AT) keyboards do not have this key.
The Windows key was introduced for the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system and any keyboard with this key should be referred to as a “Windows keyboard” in the same way that keyboards with a certain layout are referred to as “Sun keyboards”.
One of my pet hates is developers of software for non-Microsoft operating systems who use this key in the default key-bindings for their software or operating systems that assume that the keyboard is a Windows keyboard at install time (looking at you Debian).
Keyboards are one of the few piece of computer technology that has got worse over the years which is why I still use mechanical switch keyboards that are over 20 years old on a daily basis, as to laptop keyboards I've yet to use a modern laptop that has a keyboard that feels as good to use as the one on my (circa 1988) Commodore 286LT laptop.
OK, I feel better for getting that off my chest
Firstly the name “Mod4″ is a disingenuous name to make developers of software for non-Microsoft operating systems feel better about using it. This key is a the “Windows” key, standard IBM PC compatible (AT) keyboards do not have this key.
The Windows key was introduced for the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system and any keyboard with this key should be referred to as a “Windows keyboard” in the same way that keyboards with a certain layout are referred to as “Sun keyboards”.
One of my pet hates is developers of software for non-Microsoft operating systems who use this key in the default key-bindings for their software or operating systems that assume that the keyboard is a Windows keyboard at install time (looking at you Debian).
Keyboards are one of the few piece of computer technology that has got worse over the years which is why I still use mechanical switch keyboards that are over 20 years old on a daily basis, as to laptop keyboards I've yet to use a modern laptop that has a keyboard that feels as good to use as the one on my (circa 1988) Commodore 286LT laptop.
OK, I feel better for getting that off my chest