# What's the most useless key on the keyboard? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717 "2006-05-07T01:31:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/81 "2006-05-09T12:02:28Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > My parents have still one of [these Gateway keyboards](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_AnyKey). I keep meaning to get it from them and see if I can program it to get those extra asterisk and pipe/backslash keys to emulate the Windows and file keys. I saw a prototype keyboard somewhere recently where the legends on the keytops were not printed on, they were all tiny colour OLED matrix screens, so you could remap the keyboard any way you like and just change the keytop displays, moreover, the key legends could be changed by whatever program was running, so when you’re playing a game, instead of having to remember that the Z key fires photon torpedoes, the legend on the key could just change to “fire photon torpedoes” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/82 "2006-05-09T12:07:52Z")
Ah. Here it is: [http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/](http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/) Looks like it will be in commercial production really soon; the mini version is already available to order. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/83 "2006-05-09T14:13:53Z")
> [@lizardling](#): > > The pipe is typically between the backspace and the enter keys, and to the right of the square/curly bracket keys. OK, mine gives me: \ and | woo hoo! The | looks like an elongated colon on the key face (misprint? Part of the symbol scraped away?). No wonder I didn’t see it! ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/84 "2006-05-09T18:20:38Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I’ve also never used Print Scrn/SysRq (it doesn’t print the screen on any computer I’ve ever used). Print Screen, in the pre-GUI days, used to send whatever’s on the screen directly to the printer. Nowadays, it takes a snapshot image of the screen and copies it to the clipboard. Then you have to open an image editing program (such as MS Paint or Photoshop) and “paste” the screenshot into a new image file. I use PrtScn all the time, taking screenshots of games like Civilization or The Sims (which have their own built-in screenshot ability, but it doesn’t always work right) or saving images from websites that have right-click options disabled, so you can’t save the file directly. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/85 "2006-05-09T18:34:21Z")
> [@lizardling](#): > > The pipe is typically between the backspace and the enter keys, and to the right of the square/curly bracket keys. It’s one key which wanders all over the place depending on the locality. UK keyboards tend to have it in the top left, or beside Z. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/86 "2006-05-09T18:36:37Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Ah. Here it is: [Optimus](http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/) > > Looks like it will be in commercial production really soon; the mini version is already available to order. That’s the coolest thing I’ve seen in ages. ---
**Author:** ![10\_u\_us](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/c68b51/32.png) [@10\_u\_us](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/10_u_us)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/87 "2006-05-09T19:40:26Z")
**Caps Lock** is removed from every keyboard I buy. I have never used it intentionally, and always get major errors when it’s hit by mistake. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingCowOfDoom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyingcowofdoom/32/21776_2.png) [@FlyingCowOfDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingCowOfDoom)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/88 "2006-05-09T20:18:25Z")
> [@Phantom Dennis](#): > > Nah, you have to us the “fn” key to get those. As far as I can tell, the numlock does absolutely nothing on this laptop, aside from existing. On my Dell laptop, the numeric keys on the keyboard get locked “on” when numlock is active, and you don’t need to hold fn to use them. I use ScrLk in Excel quite often, as well as |, ~, `, and ^. So, I’m going to have to go with SysRq. From the Wikipedia article: “SysRq or SysReq (short for System Request) is a key on keyboards for PCs that has no standard use.” –FCOD ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/89 "2006-05-09T20:24:00Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Ah. Here it is: [Optimus](http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/) > > Looks like it will be in commercial production really soon; the mini version is already available to order. That looks so cool, but then they went and messed up the standard location of the return key. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/90 "2006-05-09T21:43:52Z")
That thrice-damned Insert key. Oh, sure, I may not _use_ the Scroll Lock or Pause/Break keys, but I don’t accidentally hit them when searching for Home or End or Delete either. And I never realize it until it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/91 "2006-05-09T22:44:02Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > The | looks like an elongated colon on the key face (misprint? Part of the symbol scraped away?). No wonder I didn’t see it! No, it’s always like that on the keyboards (at least all those I’ve seen) - whether it is rendered as a single line or two seems to depends on the font, or the codepage, or something. Oh I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/92 "2006-05-09T22:49:09Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > No, it’s always like that on the keyboards (at least all those I’ve seen) - whether it is rendered as a single line or two seems to depends on the font, or the codepage, or something. Oh I dunno. Looking at my UK Microsoft keyboard: Shift plus (left of Z) = | Alt Gr plus (top left) = ¦ (Amusingly, the characters appeared the opposite way to how they are shown on the keyboard 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2006, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/93 "2006-05-10T00:26:09Z")
> [@10 u us](#): > > **Caps Lock** is removed from every keyboard I buy. I have never used it intentionally, and always get major errors when it’s hit by mistake. Ditto. Caps wins (or loses, depending on how you look at it.) Like all true \*nix geeks, I’ve got it mapped to Ctrl. Insert, Prt Scr, and Pause/Break come close, though I’ve used the latter two in various terminal emulators. I’ve got them mapped to play/pause and volume up/down on my laptop. I use ~, `, and | several dozen times per day. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/94 "2006-05-10T00:36:43Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Looking at my UK Microsoft keyboard: > > Shift plus (left of Z) = | > > Alt Gr plus (top left) = ¦ > (Amusingly, the characters appeared the opposite way to how they are shown on the keyboard 😃 ) I just checked this on mine and it’s the same - the wrong way around. That top left one must be the least useful key for me; I don’t think I’ve ever used it. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/95 "2006-07-27T13:36:00Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Scroll Lock is now often used for KVM switches - where you have one mouse, keyboard and screen for two or more computers; typically you hith it twice in fairly quick succession, then hit a number corresponding with the machine you wish to view/control. I was going to say that that’s why I use Scroll Lock. Of course, the fact that these KVM switch companies chose that key indicates that they determined that it was the most useless key. (I guess that they also chose to double-click a toggling (sp?) key to minimize interferrence with other applications.) ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/96 "2006-07-27T16:59:24Z")
Between the two or three 3D programs I use, nearly every key has been assigned to do something. Pressing ‘Insert’ in Maya, for example, lets you move around the pivot point of the selected object. I’m not sure about Pause/Break/ScrLk, though. I remember using Pause/Break older computers to stop a scroll, and ScrLk would completely freeze up the antideluvian computers at the art store I used to work at. The Windows key can be useful, but it’s the menu button or whatever on the other side that’s useless (to me). ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/97 "2006-07-27T20:22:06Z")
> [@ice1000](#): > > F12! Useless. In Microsoft Word/Excel (and possibly other programs, I haven’t tried), F12 is “Save As”. Very useful for me, when I’m editing tons of documents every day and need to make a new copy. I love keyboard shortcuts. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/98 "2006-07-27T20:26:14Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > I nominate the tilde (~) key. Nobody uses ~ in URL’s anymore, so what’s the point? > > And that backwards apostrophe (`) is equally pointless. Occasionally someone might want to type something in Spanish. And i think that’s actually an accent mark. I’d check if I weren’t so damn lazy. ---
**Author:** ![934spe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90db22/32.png) [@934spe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/934spe)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/99 "2006-07-27T20:28:18Z")
[temporary hijack] What is up with some keyboards using a ‘single sized’ key for backspace and other having a ‘double sized’ key for backspace. All the keyboards I use have the ‘double sized’ backspace key, then every once in a while I will be using a keyboard with the ‘single sized’ backspace key and go to press it and miss… I then end up with a bunch of ====== or whatever they put up there instead… It just makes me mad… [end temporary hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Dpimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Dpimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dpimi)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717/100 "2006-07-27T22:31:32Z")
The sys rq was use a lot before CDs. For those who remember floppy disks that were actually floppy we used to put a bunch of them in a box or “magazine.” Then when we’d back up the system. What sys req does is it means the system (in this case the back up) would tell you when the magazine or 7" floppies were full and you needed to put in a new magazine. Basically it’s saying the system is requiring or requesting you do something. It is still used on propritary systems. Anytime you need to have interaction there will be a message, at the bottom of your computer. Since they generally aren’t window systems it’ll looks something like the NUM key in Excel. Anyway that tells you the computer is talking to you and you hit the sys rq button to respond to the question the comptuer asks Break was also used in the old days of computers. It wasn’t always ctr-shift-del. Then it was ctr-shift=-break In windows the ~is also a wildcard. You’ll note a lot of your files have a ~ before them. Like MS Word when it does a backup copy of your document. I have never used the ` key yet The BIG complaint I have is why did they take off the ¢ ky and replace it with the ^ above the number 6. By th way you get the ¢ key by holding down the alt key (keep holding it as you type in) 0162 . IN other words alt+0162 = ¢ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useless-key-on-the-keyboard/355717.md?page=6)