h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello,

I must say that despise all sort of qualities, Mac is definitely not quite good at keyboards. OK, so you *do* get used to using only 'backspace' for lack of 'delete' key, but...

Just now I am using an ibook at work with a German keyboard, and it appears there is no tilde key on it. The reason I use that one is that it allows easy switching from window to window in Firefox, by means of cmd + tilde.

How can I remedy this problem? A remedy could mean, for example, creating a new shortcut for the action, or redefining one key (like the ° one) to mean tilde.

And let's not start about lack of [] and {}. Being a LaTex user that might be quite annoying.

The keyboard is one which looks like that:
http://www.websys-media.at/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/tastatur.jpg
but the keys are as follows:
http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/LatinExtended/graphics/German.jpg

(and I didn't find a simple image showing the keyboard as it is really, which is why I had to link to the above two in a very cumbersome way )



I would also be happy to completely alter the keys' meanings, that is, essentially telling the computer that I'm using an English keyboard. But then I would also need some trick (a cover for the keyboard?) in order not to get confused about which key means what, if this makes any sense.

At worst, you could always swap out the keyboard: http://www.analogic.co.uk/Apple_Keyboards_Home_Page.htm

Incidentally, on a full-size Mac keyboard, you have a double-sized "Delete" key, but no "Insert" key.

Are you using it on the move, or always at your desk? Could you just get a cheap USB keyboard to plug into it?

That's at my desk. I might go for the cheap USB keyboard then.

Oh, hold on, I said ibook but it's an imac Although I don't think that would significantly alter the previous advice.

"Real" Apple: http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_id=11284

"Trust" Clone: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B001AE08ZW/ref=dp_olp_1

There used to be Logitechs at about half that price, but I can't find anybody who has them in stock. I guess they were in the process of being discontinued...

>> would also be happy to completely alter the keys' meanings, that is, essentially telling the computer that I'm using an English keyboard.

System Preferences --> International --> Input Menu

Place check marks next to each keyboard layout that you want to use, and turn on the "show input menu" option. Presto, a handy menu on the right side of your menu bar that lets you switch keyboard layouts quickly.

>> But then I would also need some trick (a cover for the keyboard?) in order not to get confused about which key means what, if this makes any sense.

Sticky labels, like the kind you would use for printing addresses to stick on envelopes, cut up to keyboard size. Then you can write the current meaning of the key on them. If you choose your labels wisely, you may be able to get a kind that can be easily peeled off later, if you want. And there probably are some designed specifically for this purpose, or to cover the keys so people can learn touch-typing. like this http://www.hooleon.com/menu-diy.htm


More tricks:
- System Preferences --> Keyboard & Mouse --> Keyboard shortcuts
That will let you assign or remap your own key strokes to any menu item. I've not used it so don't know how well it works with Firefox (I'm assuming that Firefox, because it does wonky things with menus, *might* have an issue or two).
- Buy something like QuickKeys or QuickSilver that allows you to do all sorts of fancy keyboard tricks.
http://docs.blacktree.com/quicksilver/what_is_quicksilver
http://startly.com/products/quickeys/mac/4/

Of course you could ask someone familiar with the German keyboard layout what the keyboard shortcut is for switching windows - that's a Mac OS System thing, so if the ~ key is missing on some layouts Apple will have remapped it to some other key. You just need to find out which one it is. It might even be listed in the keyboard shortcuts section of your "Help" menu. The page you want is titled "shortcuts for navigation" but I have no idea what that would be auf Deutsch.

Actually, on the US keyboard at least, the keyboard shortcut for switching windows is command-` (backtick), not tilde, so maybe you're just using the wrong key to begin with?

Oh, it works here too with cmd + `, thank you

Although this means I have to press three keys. But I can live with that. Lack of brackets I'm not sure, but there's all the remaining advice.