Comment by anArbitraryOne

12 hours ago

Now if we could switch MacOS to use Win/Linux keyboard commands, MacOS wouldn't be so insufferable

You totally can, I used Karabiner-Elements to switch command (behaves like ctrl), option (behaves like alt) and control (behaves ~ like super and like control in terminal) to their usual positions. (You could do this even with bare system settings but iirc they could not switch around differently the left and right keys.)

Then I set up a few shortcuts that were different on macOS I actually used, plus a port of a Linux keyboard layout (I think the US layout mostly matches but I use a national one which differs in the AltGr layer). Surprisingly configurable for an Apple product.

Incredibly L take. macOS keyboard commands are great for working in the terminal since system shortcuts use a different key and don't interfere with control codes

  • Exactly. You don’t have the terminal itself fight with whatever is running on the other side of the term.

Sorry having to use ctrl+shift for in a terminal is absolutely awful. macOS keyboard shortcuts are king.

  • agree. I guess it's a force of habit, but I am so used to the cmd+<whatever> (specially copy & paste) shortcuts, that I configured them into my linux desktop to behave the same way

  • Being limited to just control and alt definitely cuts down on the options. Conversely, having MacOS command key act as “super” in Emacs opens up some possibilities.

Super key for most keybinds is much nicer than windows in my opinion, where it is entirely wasted on opening the start menu. On Linux it gains a few functions based on the desktop environment but not much.

  • The use of the Windows key extends far beyond the start menu. Builtin functions include window management, invoking programs on the taskbar, locking the computer, invoking Explorer and Settings, invoking and controlling accessibility functions like Magnifier. The Microsoft Power Toys add a lot of functions using the Windows key by default as well, like screen snipping, screen OCR, color picking, enhanced clipboard, and many more.

    • My problem is that I don’t use the majority of these functions at all. Command I can use for almost everything no matter how frequent or infrequent. It also replaces most “ctrl+shift” binds which is a great plus for me.

I mean, you can simply use Linux and save yourself all those hacks…

As someone that switches between MacOS (dayjob) and Linux (my own PCs) workstations daily - I wish I could do the opposite for Linux. MacOS keyboard shortcuts are just way more intuitive to me, and they are way more consistent across applications.