• .Donuts@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    36
    ·
    edit-2
    5 hours ago

    Shift is A, Caps Lock is Z, Control & Backspace is spacebar.

    Don’t ask me why, I just searched the image and found the reddit thread that this post is riffing from and got my answers

      • .Donuts@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        19
        ·
        5 hours ago

        Even though I told you don’t ask me why… you’re asking me why. But I’m a good donut so I went back:

        They dont have to press BOTH keys to press space, they just didnt have a spacebar key that is the correct size to fit, so they put those 2 random keys on instead until they get a permanent keycap set that all fits.

      • derfunkatron@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        3 hours ago

        Split spacebars are thing mostly because of layouts that won’t support a normal spacebar key. But, since most of these keyboards have user created and designed firmware, one could assign those spacebar keys to do anything.

        I have a few keyboards with split spacebars where the “right” spacebar is normal; it’s just a spacebar but small. The “left” space does dual duty; tap it and it’s a spacebar, hold it down and it becomes a modifier key for a custom layer. Custom layers are used on small keyboards to make the “missing” keys available, sort of like how a phone keyboard has number layer and symbols layer.

        I fully embraced this habit of split spacebars because I cannot train myself to use my left thumb to hit space for the life of me even though I’m a touch typist. Since my right thumb is the only digit hitting space, may as well get some use out of the rest of the space taken up by that spacebar.

        • nelly_man@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 hour ago

          Wouldn’t a split spacebar be two different keys that both individually can be used to type a space? This keyboard requires that both keys be pressed together to insert a space because each individual key has a different function. Given the common occurrence of spaces, that seems needlessly difficult.