"Insert, now gone"? I press the INS key, I overwrite text, it's very useful. Tho...

wging · 2026-09-13T18:35:51

The article is talking about symbols that were lost. The sentence should be interpreted as "these [symbols], for Insert (now gone) and Delete (still with us)". The photo is of a symbol for 'insert', an 'a' with a caret above it.

hakfoo · 2026-09-14T05:02:56

It probably makes sense with a silent linear keyswitch for users who are used to the obvious acoustic feedback of a typewriter.

Since cheap modern MCUs have programmable ADCs, you can wiggle an output pin and experiment with different sounds. I've tried something a bit more "tinkle" like than a flat "beep" and it has its charms, but it could go a whole new place like different tones for special keys (simulating the clunk of a shift or space bar) or even keys that you could subtly differentiate by sound to tell if you're off alignment.

jasomill · 2026-09-13T22:29:30

If it's anything like the key sounds on old DEC systems, it's more akin to the key click sound on an iPhone than a beep.

jstanley · 2026-09-13T15:58:33

The Insert key toggles insert mode.

em3rgent0rdr · 2026-09-13T16:14:47

Mind blown: we have always by default been in insert mode.

bojan · 2026-09-13T17:44:16

Commodore 64 was by default in overwrite mode.

When I switched to PC being in insert mode took some getting used to.

layer8 · 2026-09-13T18:53:52

Originally, in the days of text-mode forms, overwrite was the default, because that made more sense for fixed-length input fields.

valleyer · 2026-09-13T17:58:36

Not in vi. :)

myself248 · 2026-09-13T18:48:31

> "Key beep" sounds horrific. :D

And yet, every computer in a TV show seems to have it enabled!