Re: [h-e-w] "Ctrl" key wears out long before remaining keys

[David Vanderschel]

On Monday, March 18, Michael R. Wolf  wrote:
>Most keyboards are not designed to take the load on the
>"Ctrl" key that emacs users place on 'em.  ...

>I've worn through 2 Microsoft Natural Keyboards in about a
>year of part time usage.  ...

>What do you do about this problem?

Lighten up!  ;-)  I have been using emacs on an
intensive, regular basis since the mid 80's; and I
have never worn out a key on any keyboard.  (What I
have been using for the last 3.5 years is a cheap
Chinese ripoff of an MS Natural Keyboard.)  I suspect
that you have a very heavy pinky on the Control key.
(I'd even bet you have a telltale callus on the
fingertip.)

The habit will probably be hard to break.  However,
you can effectively double the life of your keyboard
by defining an alternate key for the "Control"
shift.  For Windows 98, MS PowerToys includes a
function for remapping the (relatively useless -
indeed, often harmful) Caps Lock key to function as
Control.  (I have done that just to _disable_ the Caps
Lock key; but I rarely use it for Control, since such
a habit would cause me problems on other folks'
computers.)  I think similar remapping mechanisms
exist for other Windows variants.

Regards,
  David V.