🚀 go-pugleaf

A coworker recently told me about a keyboard designed for *nix
technologies called the "happy hacker keyboard".

One of the features that I was very impressed with was that the Ctrl
key located where the Caps Lock would have been on a conventional (
post 1990 ) pc keyboard.

I couldn't get over what a wonderful thing that would be.

The "normal" postion of the Caps Lock key is in a very friendly
position, yet I only use Caps Lock maybe  2-3 times a week if that,
but I use the Ctrl key to execute commands from all sorts of apps
about a zillion times a day.

Anyway, if you are using X-windows you don't have to spend the $40
-$60 for the happy hacker keyboard if this is the only feature you
want.

You can set up Xwindows to make the Caps Lock key act like the Ctrl
key and vice -versa.

Just put these lines in your ~/.Xmodmap file ( ~ == your home
directory ):

!! ~/.Xmodmap
!!
!! The leading `!' is the comment sign.
!!
!! Please note: the natural way to assign keys are their keycodes.
!! The only problem is, that keycodes do depend on the architecture,
!! therefore keysymbols are used herein.  This has the disadvantage
!! that this file can only be called once with the program xmodmap.
!! To get keycodes of the keys use the program xev.
!! The system Xmodmap is /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/Xmodmap, have a look.

!! First example: Swap control key with caps lock key just like on
!! lk401 from DEC or type 4 from Sun Microsystems
remove Lock      = Caps_Lock
remove Control   = Control_L
keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L
keysym Control_L = Caps_Lock
add    Lock      = Caps_Lock
add    Control   = Control_L

To be safe read the man page for "xmodmap".

These lines were already in my /~.Xmodmap file, all I had to do was
comment them out.  I am use Gnu Linux, Suse 7.2.  Your distro may
already have these lines in there, if not the man page for xmodmap has
a similar example you can cut/paste.

If you use emacs, vi or another keyboard intense application you
should give it a try.  Its an amazing difference having your "Ctrl"
key up where Caps Lock is.

Enjoy!

Steve