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Comment by newscracker | Hacker News Reader

I prefer macOS over Windows, having used both for a long time. But one area where Windows has beaten macOS is keyboard shortcut support. I can use a Windows system and applications without a mouse and get many things done (including using a program like Paint.Net for image editing/manipulation). But macOS is inferior on this front, and it's quite difficult to use it if a trackpad or mouse isn't available. I know that macOS, unlike Windows, allows custom keyboard shortcuts to be setup for all applications for menu options, but it's still not the same as the built-in experience on Windows.

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While at Microsoft, I did a stint as an accessibility lead. No better way to find some accessibility bugs than to hide the mouse in a drawer for a few days. And you can do it, because if you can't, then you need file a bug. So I got pretty darned good at Windows keyboard shortcuts. As an aside, if you do public presentations, people will comment on the fact that you rarely touch the mouse. :-)

When I flipped to Mac, I tried the same thing: get those shortcuts down until the mouse isn't necessary. I've since given up, but IIRC, it can be done but it is a lot harder. For starters, it's broken out of the box because you have to set $SETTING to be able to Tab to some controls. The menu is accessed on Windows with the Alt key. On Mac, Cmd-Opt-F2. Screenshot? PrtScn versus Cmd-Opt-Shift...something, I never can remember.

It probably doesn't solve the problems completely, but I’ve found the Shortcat app indispensable when navigating macOS by keyboard. It uses the underlying accessibility features to create link hints like the Vim plug-ins for browsers do.

https://shortcatapp.com/

I don't follow. MacOS has very extensive keyboard shortcuts and they dynamically show in the menu bar of every application. Is there a specific thing that's missing? It actually drives me nuts on Windows that apps don't consistently have to show you the keyboard shortcuts. Moving to Office on the PC from the Mac was infuriating because some of the shortcuts are different but there's not even any way to see what they are easily. If there is, it must be right in front of my eyes because I just don't believe that it could be that hidden.

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