I'm gonna hug my old ThinkPad when I get home today
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I do that all the time.
There's nothing weird about it, stop looking at me like that
Its totally normal. And its cool if you like to hug multiple Thinkpads at the same time 😆
Congrats Microsoft, you managed to enshittify a goddamn keyboard key.
Doesn't seem to be present on my keyboard. 😁


Oh, wow. There it is. The keyboard of my dreams.
Using one of these while on acid does not seem advisable, though.
It's the Bixby Button all over again.
It's arguably worse, because Samsung has full control over software, hardware, and firmware of their devices.
Even if MS would like to fix this mess, they can't.
Did Microsoft demand vendors include such a button with those specs? If not, that sounds like a vendor issue, and I'd be looking at other vendors. Either way I'm happy to use keyboards/OSs without that "feature."

It is/was required for vendors to use the AI PC / Copilot+ label and Microsoft "invented" the key-sequence.
src: https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/26/24112500/microsoft-ai-pc-intel-windows-copilot-key-requirements
So to be clear, this key sequence is just how windows interpret the key, the hardware is exactly the same and any other OS can still use it as the context menu key?
Edit : oh, just saw the thing about the linux workaround. So no, they actually fucked it up on hardware level. Wow.
nope, the hardware / keyboard controller sends a complete key sequence instead of a distinguishable key-up and key-down event. The OS can interpret that sequence as it sees fit, but you loose the physical key-up signal when you release the key with your finger.
That's insane. Even if they did this intentionally to be as difficult as possible, they locked themselves out of being able to detect long presses?
I've made an update edit: Some hardware vendors fucked up when to send the key-up-sequence apparently so now every keyboard can behave differently. I don't know if this makes the situation better or worse.
"tldr: AI took a perfectly working modifier key from you." - 'AI' ?? I can't see how this is anything but Microshit and Capitalism that 'takes away" anything..
That's the former right click button location. They took it away to implement a AI button. So it's AI that's done it, not literally but figuratively.
They (Microsoft) did actually also originally implement it, the application key was added to Microsoft keyboards in 1994 along with the Windows key. It's meant to give compatibility to the Windows user interface when your PC had a mouse with only one button. Don't remember those being very relevant in the recent years.
So it's Microsoft deciding that their right-click button isn't necessary any more after 32 years, and swapping it for a Co-Pilot/Windows Search button.
Noted. Do not buy used laptops with microslop cancer button.
A shame because they're all still good hardware. Just don't want to deal with the cursed button.
Its not immune from removal via knife
Just don't buy an AI slop PC and get a Thinkpad, or a Framework laptop instead. Vote with your wallet. If you already own an AI PC, well, OP's post might help.
Pretty sure MS made this a "standard keyboard" button, which could mean it needs to be included for the OEM to be able to put windows on the machine.
happy to be typing this comment on a framework laptop, where no such key is to be found.
interesting post, and thanks for the info. i cant believe the crap MS pulls. Linux is easier than ever. Join us.
The WHATNOW is impossible to properly remap?
That nuisance you pop off with a flathead screwdriver and throw in the trash can.
If this garbage is on my keyboard I will drill that motherfucker out no second thought
Why would you buy this garbage?
It is shocking difficult to buy a new laptop without one. Yes, I know about Framework, System 76, etc, but go to your local big box store and every laptop is covered in either Microsoft logos or Apple logos.
An embarrassing new low, even with the bars they've already set. And fitting, for this being the (egregiously multiply-) branded button to launch the shit show. Christ, this has been a fucking carnival lmao.
Microslop has now regressed to implementing "features" very closely resembling - in sophistication and effect - my own bumbling, desperate, ignorant attempts at similar ("making a button behave like a macro"), using AutoHotKey, somewhere between 15-20 years ago.
And do I understand that they both shipped that, on hardware, AND it's broken so badly it can't be easily remedied?
I don't know what to say. It's like all the geniuses of comedy who died too young are doing this, all of it.
(No shade whatsoever to AHK, it was, probably still is, awesome at its job!)
Edit: suddenly realized it's just on purpose, probably. Anyway, rant remains lol
You can remap that key on a hardware level with a little flathead screwdriver. 🪛 🗑️
Never thought I'd say this... I'm considering a Mac as my next laptop.
Base model Macbook Airs are very hard to beat for price:performance, especially now the new base model has 16gb of RAM. I've been to numerous local computer shops and felt and tried numerous Windows laptops that were around the same price and they all felt like flimsy plastic trash.
The Mac Mini is also very good for its price and size. My dad is considering a base model Mini to replace his Windows office computer which is on 10 and reached EOL and he doesn't want 11.
Is it? I mean, if I have Linux installed, you know.
Yeah... All the tools in Linux are going to do this weird thing where they expect it to behave like a normal key. So you'd have to do all the hacks mentioned to make it work. For example, GNOME keybind stops detecting the key bind when you release. Etc. Maybe the kernel will accept a “broken copilot key hack“ that implements it but it's not good.
Even with hacks, it still won't work like a modifier like most people use alt/ctrl/win because those rely on knowing the key up to see multiple keys pressed together before release. So... Broken.
so fucking stupid
Another great product of Free Market Capitalism ©
My ThinkPad has one and it is just kinda there... despite it supposedly being remapable since Kernel 6.16 or so I can't get it to properly remap.
I'd love to map it to open LM Studio lol
Everything is remapable if you are good enough at soldering
*Sry for the washed out colors. This was originally an HDR video.