Do you use the extra keys on keyboards?

[Onionsoilder]

A lot of keyboards these days have extra functions on them such as open the internet browser, open new word document, turn off computer, zoom in/zoom out - most of which can usually be a accomplished by a few keypresses anyway. I know I never use these buttons, but it annoys me to no end when I accidentally press one and my computer does something I don't want it to do. I figure somebody must use them however, or else companies wouldn't put them on there. So, who uses them and who doesn't?

 

[Cutlass]

I uninstalled the program that ran those buttons because it made the regular keys do things I didn't want. So no, I don't use them. None of them speed up any task I was likely to do anyways.

 

[Till]

I can press meta+whatever faster than i can reach any key above the F1- F12 row, so additional keys are useless to me.

 

[GoodGame]

ALT + 0150 = – as opposed to a hyphen, at least in MS Word.

 

[Zelig]

I use the media keys, which I have mapped to global hotkeys for my media player, and the scroll wheel on my keyboard. Most of the other keys don't work properly without any extra software installed anyway.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

I've got a Logitech G11 keyboard, so Ive mapped the media keys much like Zelig has, and I also have a couple of macro's recorded to the G-keys.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

On my old one it had a calculator button which I used quite a bit. But then it fell on the floor so I couldn't use it anymore. None of the buttons on my current keyboard I use.

 

[Maniacal]

I have a Logitech G15 (first generation), with 18 extra G keys I don't use. I do occasionally use the media buttons, or at least the volume control or mute, and the backlighting.

 

[Turner]

I find them pretty useful. I really like the ones that let you customize them, makes them more useful for me.

 

[GenMarshall]

I only use the volume and mute keys.

 

[Fetus4188]

I use my volume and media (search/play/stop/pause) buttons all the time. I also have some macro keys that I use occasionally.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Only buttons on my keyboard that are non-standard are:

Power (disabled this, it's above PrintScreen, which is useful, so it's easy to press by mistake). This shuts down the PC without asking whether you meant to do it. Stupid key.

Sleep - presumably activates some kind of hibernation. Pointless. Turn the PC off.

Wake Up - presumably reverses the Sleep operation. Turn your computer back on.

It was worse when the Windows key came out, pressing it in DOS while running my favourite text editor crashed the PC, all work lost. I had to physically remove both windows keys with a spoon.

 

[Fëanor]

G15 rev2

I use the play/pause key many times every day, the "Disable Windows Key" is also very nice, i've also assigned various screen gamma settings to my G4/5/6-keys.
G1/2/3 are Calculator, Firefox and Windows Explorer (not IE).

I voted "I use them occasionally, and they're nice to have." since out of the dozens of keys i only use a couple on a daily basis.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Windows key + E brings up Windows explorer.

 

[Mise]

I don't have any on my keyboard. I use the volume/mute buttons on my laptop though, which I guess are the same sort of thing.

 

[Cutlass]

Windows key + E brings up Windows explorer.

That's not exactly a "special key"

BTW, win key + f brings up the find function. win+r the run box. win+u the Utility manager win+d the desktop win+l logoff

 

[warpus]

I have a gaming keyboard, so whenever I'm playing FPS type games, I use my specialized WASD-like control console keys on the left side of my keyboard.

 

[EzInKy]

I find mapping combinations of the "Penquin" and special function keys very handy to launch various Linux applications, but am especially fond of "Penquin" and arrow keys to switch between my nine desktops. The less I have to reach for the mouse the happier I am B-)

 

[holy king]

It was worse when the Windows key came out, pressing it in DOS while running my favourite text editor crashed the PC, all work lost. I had to physically remove both windows keys with a spoon.

was that actually the best tool available?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

was that actually the best tool available?

Of course, spoon to prise things out, butter knife to screw/unscrew the screws on a plug, fork if you haven't got an aeriel for your TV - the cutlery trio, all you need in your toolkit.