Poll: Most useless key on your keyboard

[Rattja]

I would have voted for Pause/Break but my current keyboard doesn't have that (and I only JUST noticed thanks to this thread). Back in the late '80s and early '90s, that key was quite useful when software went wonky.

Seeing as I don't have the aforementioned key, I'm voting "other." The winner is?

Well it's often use for console commands, and to me it's the perfect panic button for "oh shit" moments in games, as it is up in the corner and almost impossible to miss.

Pause/Break is used with the windows key to open the system-information/change of domains, so i have used it.

Oh would you look at that, so it does, so it has a use after all. Although nothing I would do often so still not that usefull.

Given that this is ostensibly a videogame forum, I'm surprised so many people find the Pause key useless.

Because it used to ... you know ... pause videogames, when you pressed it.

Well it still does, at least in Starcraft 2.


It's interesting to see that some of these buttons actually have a use and that they are still being used. But it looks like Scroll lock wins (or lose) this one. Even after reading up on what it's intended for I still don't understand when I would want to use it, and it makes me wonder why it's still there.

ScrollLock for for quickly testing keyboard functionality

Care to explain? According to wiki it's supposed to lock up the arrow key scrolling or scrolling all together or something, but it does not seem to do jack.

 

[themyrmidon]

Insert, without a doubt. I once had a keyboard with no Insert key, just a double-sized Delete key, and I loved that layout. The only others that come close are scroll & number lock.

 

[suitepee7]

The command key. I have an Apple keyboard because I used to have a Mac, but I recently got a Windows machine, so now my command key basically behaves as a Windows key, which is completely useless. I don't access the start menu often enough to necessitate a button dedicated to it, and when I do want the start menu it's easy enough just to slide my cursor to as far left and down it can go and click.

i'm adding to the command/windows key. it really isn't hard to move the cursor to click on it, and the only thing it has achieved is occasionally tabbing me out of a game because i accidentally press it.

 

[elvor0]

Insert. Not only have I never ever used it, it's quite literally useless now. I'm on a laptop and I broke the mechanism for the Esc key trying to clean it, so I stole it from Insert.

Given that this is ostensibly a videogame forum, I'm surprised so many people find the Pause key useless.

Because it used to ... you know ... pause videogames, when you pressed it.

I can't remember the last time I've ever needed to do that. So yeah, to most people it's useless, even back in the days when it was actually used to pause a game, there were other buttons which would open the menu, which would not only pause the game, but allow you to do stuff too.

 

[iseko]

Caps lock is pretty fucking great if you use an AZERTY keyboard. Which noone except the french and the belgians (helloooo) does. Still, pretty nifty key

 

[Grimh]

My keyboard has diagonal arrow keys (up-right and up-left), they transcend their mere uselessness by virtue of also being in the way. However as my arrow keys are almost near useless to me themselves, I guess I'd have to say everything usually above the arrow keys except Delete and Print Screen.

 

[kurupt87]

The windows key is the most aggravating, accidentally pressing it (which happens a lot) during games boots you out to the desktop. I have to go into the registry and turn it off, frustrating.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

ScrollLock for for quickly testing keyboard functionality

Care to explain? According to wiki it's supposed to lock up the arrow key scrolling or scrolling all together or something, but it does not seem to do jack.

One of my jobs as AV tech is testing and upgrading the lecture theatre PC equipment. Using the ScrollLock key's LED indicator is the quickest test if to see if there is any issues with the drivers.

 

[Guffe]

I have a key that allowes me to put forward these: ¨ ^ ~
Now what the hell am I supposed to do with those?
Never used it before this thread actually, thanks for that OP!

 

[TheSYLOH]

The menu key.

No not the windows key, the Menu Key
It's a key that brings up a context sensative menu... you know a right click.
It positioned so the only way to comfortably press it is with my mouse hand, where I can just well... right click!
Besides I use a laptop, so there's another bigger button which does the same thing.

 

[EHKOS]

Alt Gr has a use. It pisses me off. I actually use Caps Lock instead of shift, I just tap it twice real fast, because my pinky's suck. I suppose one of the function keys, I don't actually know what half of them do or have ever done.

 

[InfernalPaladin]

Everything on the right bottom; alt, ctrl, the windows key there, and some weird list-key-thing..

My right hand is on the mouse, I can't press those keys as well!

 

[lechat]

my keyboard has combined pause/break with scroll lock so that is a single key with double the uselessness which may make it half useful?

close runner up is right hand control key. combine coding with a healthy dose of one handed keyboard use and you use pretty much every button but that right hand control key? might turn me into a purple unicorn who farts tacos, i'll never know cause i'll never use the fucking thing.

 

[Rattja]

ScrollLock for for quickly testing keyboard functionality

Care to explain? According to wiki it's supposed to lock up the arrow key scrolling or scrolling all together or something, but it does not seem to do jack.

One of my jobs as AV tech is testing and upgrading the lecture theatre PC equipment. Using the ScrollLock key's LED indicator is the quickest test if to see if there is any issues with the drivers.

Ah I see, but doesn't Num lock do the same thing? I've actually done that a few times when setting up a new computer or switching keyboard. Just glance at the led and see if it is connected or not.
That to me would make the Num lock slightly more usefull, slightly.

 

[Rattja]

I have a key that allowes me to put forward these: ¨ ^ ~
Now what the hell am I supposed to do with those?
Never used it before this thread actually, thanks for that OP!

You mean you have never made (^.^) or (~.~) or anything else fun with those? Not much use but hey it's something!

 

[Darth Sea Bass]

I'm gonna go with the Alt Gr key or the next one along whatever that key is.

 

[Bravo Company]

Most annoying button for me would be Insert. That thing has screwed me over a few times.

Similar to Num-lock/Caps-lock, Insert works like a toggle, in word processing programs. It causes your typing to overwrite any text in front of it (which is very annoying, if you've bumped Insert my mistake while trying to press Delete or something, and you don't notice until it's too late).
But unlike Num-lock/Caps-lock, Insert doesn't have a handy light on the keyboard to tell you when it's on/off.


The most useful button on my keyboard, would be the 'Calculator' button. For some reason, my keyboard has one of these, and it works too.

Pause/Break is used with the windows key to open the system-information/change of domains, so i have used it.

I'm surprised more people don't know about this.

Everyone reading this, press Windows Key + Pause key, and see what happens.

Add another to "insert is the most annoying button on the keyboard" for me, for the aforementioned reasons. However, the most useless button has to be scroll lock. It may have been useful when DOS was the only thing you could use for a computer, but today I legitimately don't know any other use for it other than making the number lock, caps lock, and scroll lock lights illuminate in a sequence.


Also, I'm disappointed at all the "windows key is useless" posts. Working in the IT field, I find myself using the windows key a tonne. Not having it would make life more annoying because a Windows key + pause break is way easier. Windows+E brings up my computer. Windows+D brings you to the desktop. Windows+home minimizes all background images. Just pressing the windows key and typing cmd for command prompt is more effective than mousing to the start menu and typing cmd.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Pause/Break. I don't even know what that is. My runner-up would be Scroll Lock. Most of the other keys I use at least a little bit either for work or leisure.

Off topic: What's with the "we have noticed suspicious activity related to your internet address" captcha? I don't even want to click on that thing.

 

[Guffe]

I have a key that allowes me to put forward these: ¨ ^ ~
Now what the hell am I supposed to do with those?
Never used it before this thread actually, thanks for that OP!

You mean you have never made (^.^) or (~.~) or anything else fun with those? Not much use but hey it's something!

Nope
My smileys are restricted to , , :,( and
and then when the occasion calls I have the Kirby "smiley" (Q*.*)==O for when I'm going to punch someone

Maybe I'll start using that key now

But it's not my useless key anymore :,(

^.^

 

[Isalan]

I voted other.

I'm gonna have to go with those memory keys that you get on some keyboards. I've never used em, and I see no change occuring in that department. Also, the volume controls. If you're near the keyboard, you're near the mouse right?