

Redcar is cool, but I still can’t use Linux - lr
http://lucasrockwell.com/2009/03/redcar-is-cool-but-i-still-cant-use-linux/

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spkthed
Most OS's give you the ability to remap keys as you see fit. in addition, most
modern Linux distros allow you to hook up an Apple keyboard. Combine the two
and this entire post is unnecessary.

All of that being said, there's no difference between using the Apple key for
commands vs. other key combos (ctrl-alt-shift, etc) it's simply user
preference.

If you take this argument down to it's base level, it's a frustration at
having to learn the UI of a new program, the equivalent of Vim vs Emacs. All
of that is fine, but burying that sentiment in a general "only Mac software
can do this" post which isn't the case.

All of this being said, it's looking more and more like Textmate development
is dead, perhaps it's time to look at one of the alternatives?

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jfreedom
I feel like this post is just an OSX fan ranting about how he likes his hot
keys in this spot instead of that spot.

~~~
jmtulloss
I disagree. There is a fundamental difference. In OS X, keys tend to do the
same things everywhere because there is this carefully drawn distinction
between Cmd and Control. Other OS's have context sensitive key bindings.

Of course this isn't universally true, but OS X does seem to do it better than
the other two.

~~~
old-gregg
_In OS X, keys tend to do the same things everywhere because there is this
carefully drawn distinction between Cmd and Control._

It's my 2nd year on the Mac and I continue to struggle with hotkeys: they are
a mess.

On top of my head: how come Ctrl+left won't bring me to the end of the line in
Terminal but does in every other editable window? And why Shift+Command+arrows
switch tabs in Terminal but not in Safari? OSX doesn't even have a universal
"close this goddamn window" hot key, which drives me crazy - some windows go
away with Esc while others need Command+W, plus you get a super weird 3rd
variety which can't be closed from the keyboard at all!

OSX is by far the least typist friendly GUI in my humble opinion. On the other
hand Linux, especially Gnome, absolutely rocks with their handling of hot
keys: there are many more of them (I can move/resize windows on a keyboard)
and the bindings are very consistent. Whereas OSX is simply not usable without
a mouse: even top-level menu items don't have hot keys, like Alt+E for "Edit"
or Alt+F for "File".

~~~
nileshk
In OS X, I find that I am better off using the Emacs-style keyboard shortcuts
that are available in most applications (CTRL-A/E/N/P/F/B and a few others).
Many of these shortcuts also work in the terminal when using bash. For your
example going to the end of the line is CTRL-E; it works in most apps and you
didn't even have to move your hands away from the home row. I use these when
using bash on Linux, too.

I too am annoyed by those windows that require Esc to go away, like the font
chooser, as I expect Cmd-W to work univerally for that. I found some
AppleScripts somewhere that can be used to move/resize windows with the
keyboard, but haven't tried them out yet, but that's also something I wish OS
X could do out of box. Moving/resizing windows in OS X is really inefficient,
and apps aren't very efficient about new window placement.

I use Cmd-Shift-{ and Cmd-Shift-} to switch tabs which appears to what's been
standardized on, but just tried Cmd-Shift-arrows and it works in both Terminal
and Safari (using Leopard) but not Firefox.

I find you have to memorize a lot more to be efficient with OS X's hot keys,
due to the lack of mnemonics.

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indiejade
_Because OS X is the only OS that distinguishes between GUI editing and line
editing._

Nope.

I could write a long point-by-point response to this post, but realized that I
already did several months ago:

<http://zentu.net/oss/?q=node/27>

It's the concept of multiple desktops that Windows doesn't have and OSX
doesn't get, either, that makes working on Linux systems _so_ worth it.
Productivity can be dependent upon how you organize and switch between these
desktops.

~~~
psadauskas
And if you use some of the lightweight window managers (Awesome, XMonad, Ion),
they've all pretty much decided that the Windows key is the modifier to use
for all window-manager shortcuts. Every app gets to use Ctrl & Alt however
they like. Win+key is for the window manager itself, and is very convenient.

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blackguardx
I just got a mac last week. I am a brand new mac user and don't see where the
author is going with his rant. Why should Ubuntu change the default settings
just to please him?

My last computer was loaded with Ubuntu. There are so many annoying
differences between the two operating systems. I grumble, but I don't write a
caustic article about them because I expect these difference to occur. These
OSes have completely separate histories and were built by completely different
people. There is no universally perfect computer interface.

I think this article is akin to complaining about the differences in the
shifting pattern on Honda and BMW cars.

EDIT: spelling and grammar

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utx00
If you are using the GNOME desktop use gconf-editor to set
/desktop/gnome/interface/gtk_key_theme to "Emacs". As far as I can tell,
everything works (like I am now typing ctrl-A on firefox to go to the
beginning of this line)

There is also Alt, and Meta, and you can set your own keymaps in X.

Actually, one of the reasons I didn't like the mac is the lack of flexibility
in this area (like re-mapping ctrl and caps lock). Doable but not as simple as
in Linux.

~~~
nileshk
Actually, re-mapping Caps Lock to Ctrl is a very simple change in the system
preferences (but not so if you want to map it to Esc). You can remap
Cmd/Option/Ctrl/Caps-Lock to any of those 4 keys, and you can do it
specifically for different keyboards (so you can have your laptop keyboard
mapped differently than the external keyboard you have plugged in; especially
nice for connecting a PC keyboard to your laptop).

Cocoa by default already has some of the Emacs-style keyboard shortcuts
(CTRL-A/E/P/N/B/F/K/T/Y/etc), and these are partially supported in Firefox
3.0. And it looks like remapping keys for Cocoa apps is very flexible and
powerful, but I haven't messed with it personally yet (though I plan to try to
get things even more Emacs-like, which appears to be pretty doable).

Of course you can't beat the flexibility that's achievable in the open source
desktops/window managers.

------
VBprogrammer
In short, Linux doesn't suit the authors needs (where needs is defined as
having the same keyboard short cuts as his favorite operating system). Nothing
to see here. I'm at a loss as to why the author feels Linux's eventual goal is
to convert him to Linux, or what profit he sees in moving from OSX to Linux.

If for some reason he really is determined to make this conversion (without
changing his keyboard shortcuts) then he is welcome to start a Linux keyboard
shortcut unification project, since as the cliche goes, the source is there.

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igorgue
Well, I can't switch to OS X because I don't have Banshee on it, Terminator,
multiple desktops implemented in the right way, multiple text-only terminals,
the ability to just plain not use the mouse (and OS X sucks too in handling
the mouse), consistency on hotkeys (GNOME), a file system that doesn't
sucks... and I can go on...

I bought a mac last year spent like 1600USD on it... and is there... I still
use my Linux laptop. The mac hardware is pretty cool but I feel so
unproductive on it.

btw, I use VIM (in OS X, Linux and Windows)

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jhawk28
I don't understand why anyone would use a "textmate lookalike" on linux if
they already had the real thing on OSX.

~~~
itsandrew
For me, I run Ubuntu on my netbook. It's nice to run a similar editor when I'm
away from my Mac.

~~~
jhawk28
Yes, but he was writing about using Linux on a mac with Redcar. It makes a lot
of sense if you are not running OSX.

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chanux
The guy planning to install GNU/Linux (He didn't mention the GNU part) on a
Virtual Machine. lame...

