I was just reading this thread… https://sh.itjust.works/post/23476261
…and it got me thinking about something that I’ve wanted for a long time. Why is it that keyboards have not evolved to have dedicated copy/paste keys left of the main board? I’d love to see an additional column of keys left of Esc->Ctrl configurable as macros at least. I do a lot of copy/paste for work. The current shortcuts arent terrible or anything but they’re not exactly comfortable. I’d rather move my whole hand to the left for a macro key than contort to hit the current shortcut.
What do you think?
With 35 years of computer experience I can say that anything except Ctrl+Insert/Shift+Insert is worse.
By that I mean, we all need to adjust our brain to be fluent on which ever ecosystem we are currently logged on to, and become native users of key combos on all we use. I have used MacOS daily since 2004, and linux, Windows and DOS all longer than that. It takes practice, a lot of practice, but in the end I don’t even realize I sometimes use Ctrl+c, other times Cmd+c, and yet again Ctrl+Shift+c. It all comes naturally, by some miracle my brain knows which one to use. Granted, the DOS one I use so rarely these days I need a double take on the Ctrl+Insert. Last time was still around 6 hours ago today.
I guess what I’m saying is keep doing it, you’ll get there.
To paste in Linux:
Ctrl + shift + v
in terminal.Ctrl + u
in nano but nano doesn’t use the same copy buffer but you can also useCtrl + shift + v
but only to paste something copied from outside nano.To paste in vi(m)
:?!&///<¥₱!
Pretty much everywhere else, eg file manager, any GUI, browsers, etc. is
Ctrl +v
In some terminals. urxvt for example just uses the selection buffer. And either is reasonable, because
Ctrl + C
to send sigterm predatesCtrl + C
to copy.Some terminals use weird combinations like Shift + Insert, which is ridiculous, because it requires me to take my right hand off the mouse to hit the insert key
Wut? Is this a joke that it’s difficult to paste in Vim? Because it’s literally just
p
.You do need to be in command mode, so alright, there is some complexity there, but you won’t get much closer to just a single key, as OP wants.