It's 2024...WHY is There a Caps Lock Key?
Date: January 7, 2024
You're typing along, with some great thoughts going - or maybe you're writing a wonderful subroutine in a program. You're in your groove - you're flying. Then you look at the screen. Oh $#! - the capslock key has been on for quite some time. Great. Now you have to go back and fix this problem. How often is the capslock key even used? Why is it there?
When I started looking for an image to accompany this piece this morning, I found that this is, apparently, a hot topic and not a new frustration amongst users. How many times has that tripped you up when you are entering a password? (Don't even get me started on being in 'Password Pergatory' - which is bad enough, but then stoke the flame by adding an accidental caps lock tap, and you're sentenced to eternal damnation). It's nice that the Windows login screen will tell you "caps lock on" if it is when you are trying to unlock your system. But during regular use, it's an annoyance - and an unnecessarty one.
How much do I use the caps lock? I'm not sure? I remember the early days of email and computer usage in general when a lot of people had this nasty habit of writing things in all caps, which is perceived as yelling. Even using all caps in documents is iffy at best - yes, it stands out, but there are nicer ways to present a point. Sometimes it fits on headings in certain types of styles, but mostly, not. As a web developer type, CSS is my friend and I can easily have it change my cases so I can see what things look like on a page with different cases with a few strokes of code. It's magical...
I have an antique typewriter in my living room, kind of a display piece that weight at least 10 lbs. It's amazing how many young people come over and are transfixed by this mysterious thing - that still works - sitting in my living room. When you hit caps lock on this thing, there is quite a ceremony of what happens - the whole case lifts up with a loud thud. You KNOW when you've hit caps lock, and a little extra pressure on the key is necessary and it sort of clicks into place to hold the mechnism there.
I guess once I disable it, I'll find out how often I do use it...but what will happen when I get used to NOT having it? If I use a keyboard as a guest somewhere, I might appear inept, and I do that enough on my own without a crutch in place...
There are even ways to disable this annoying key within the Windows registry (if you're a Windows user). Disabling Caps Lock on Windows 10/11 This seems a bit scary; messing with ones registry. I am going to give it a try...there was also the mention of programs that can be installed to disable it. Here's another (which I am currently using) which was a little tricky to set up in that the interface is a little wonky - but way easier than messing with one's registry. https://www.ricksdailytips.com/disable-caps-lock-key/
A more rudimentary - but effective - suggestion is to be cutting a small piece of cardboard or cork and wedging it beneath the key itself so it cannot be pressed. That could work. I also thought - what about glue? I could pop the key off and add glue to that key and see how that goes. Being a typical IT person, I have a bunch of extra keyboards, so it isn't a big deal if I screw up a keyboard. The one that I'm typing on now is a really cool keyboard which I would not want to screw up; it emulates the look of an old timey typewriter keyboard. Therefore, the cardboard shim or registry method would be tested here.
I'm going to try doing one of these methods - I'll find out how often I use caps lock right off the bat. I will try the registry method on my home machine and the cardboard method on my work computer - but the problem with the work computer is that I work in the office twice a week in "hotel space" which means I don't always have the same worksation/keyboard. Since we have all become germophobes since COVID, I have entertained the idea of bringing my own keyboard, and if I outfit it with a shim to keep the caps lock key from being pressed, that would do it.
I guess a follow up might be in order for this article - maybe in 30 days to see how it went with my caps lock disabled. Let's see!!!!