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Comment by rsecora | Hacker News Reader

No, you don't need caps lock for this text, because there aren't two continuous uppercase keys.

My comment was about my memory muscle. I developed it in a training a long ago. I feel my typing unnatural when I don't have capslock.

I have notice that this also happens to people that have learn typewriting in the school. In the training you learn: there are two shift keys, use caps lock, use both hands, only press with fingers, never use two fingers of the same hand, sit correctly, align the forearm and the hand, mistakes are costly.

Online keyboard typing usage focus on finger, but in the 80s, the first training day was also on proper position.

if your current workflow don't need caps lock go for it. I'm not advocating for remapping or not. I have only notice the way the caps lock (or the two shifts) are used, usually implies the operator has perform a typewriting training back in the days.

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As another anecdote for your collection, I was taught to type on a typewriter in a course in middle school in the 90's.

Having to type multiple capital letters in a row is rare enough that I never developed a habit of using the capslock key. I get by using shift on the rare occasions that I need to type multiple capital characters in a row. It's rarely more than one word.

Right, typing multiple caps in a row was mostly a way to place emphasis at the time of mechanical typewriters. When there was only a font, no italics, and two colors (if you where lucky).

Anyway, it's obsolete for modern usage https://www.wired.com/2006/08/death-to-caps-lock/

I'm having trouble squaring the things you've said at this point. You commented earlier with

> The writer says "CapsLock is useless... remap". I have seen that statement a lot of times, and I deeply feel it wrong. That means the author hasn't been properly trained at typing.

If the capslock key is obselete, why is it wrong to remap it? Why would remapping an obselete key indicate improper training? Perhaps the author was trained properly on a different system, or had the same training as you but has since adapted.

I get that it's part of your muscle memory and you'd prefer to keep using an obselete key, but why say it's wrong for others to not use the capslock key?

Lets write again. I'm not advocating in anyway for using caps or for the opposite.

I'm used to caps, so my typing flow needs it. When I have used keyboards without caps, I feel them wrong. (same happens when I use a non querty keyboard). It's a personal feeling, so I will not remap it. If others want to remap, and they feel more productive, its ok. But not for me, because I know i'm more productive with it.

The point on my comment was about RSI and training. using the keys properly reduces injuries. Proper forearm/hand alignment, balance of shift/ctrl key, balance of the space-key....

Example:

Uppercase "A": What keys do you use?

1) Left pinky in left-shift / Ring or middle finger in "a"?

2) Left pinky in "a" / Right pinky in right shift?

Using 1) stress the hand/wrist/forearm, using 2) is quicker, and more natural and avoids stress. This has nothing to do with caps-lock.

Trained typewriter use 2. I usually recognize if a trained one in the 70s/80s by the "obsolete" usage of capslock.

Then are are people like you, that were also trained and do not use it. My phrasing was too strong and rude. Sorry for that. I haven't realize this was a hot topic.

My comment was not to advocate for caps-lock, but trying to advice on typing training, maybe it can help someone. That was the original intention, list actions to alleviate a common injury. Training was not only repetition of keys, but also use the right position and key combinations.

I didn't and don't consider your comments to be rude. I was just trying to understand your point. To me, remapping caps lock seems unrelated to RSI but isn't counterproductive as I thought you were suggesting.

I'm honestly not sure how I type the uppercase A, as I don't normally think about typing and now I'm in my head about it. I suspect that I use the left shift key, as it's easier to hit than the right and feels a little more natural as I try both now.

Just because I was trained by a proper instructor on a typewriter doesn't mean I've kept all the best habits in the decades since. I'll be putting in an effort to train myself out of the bad habit of using the shift key on the same side as the key I'm pressing. Thanks.

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