Gryoscopes and Remapping a Windows Button for the IBM ThinkPad
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This Thinkpad that I am now using for my main work computer (I'm using the TabletPC for my personal computer) is the best Laptop I've ever used. Had a few problems with their silly Utilities, but for the most part it's butter.
The Good and Amazing:
- It ALSO (the Toshiba m200 Tablet also has one) has a freakin' gyroscope in it. Except, while the Toshiba uses the Gyro for scrolling (USELESS!) this IBM uses it to pause and park the hard drive (USEFUL!) To the right is a picture of the Real-Time Status screen. In the picture I've tipped the laptop to the right about 45 degress and it's parked the hard drive for safety. This has already come in useful when a horrendously fat guy in the middle seat of a Delta flight that when I was saving a file was a perfect time for him to go to the can. But I'm not bitter.
The Bad
- It's got no freakin' Windows Key, which is slowing me down by at least 10 minutes a day. :) Thank the good lord for Windows Key Remapping. Here's a registry key that will remap the RIGHT-ALT to the Windows Key (save it as a .REG file):
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,5B,E0,38,E0,00,00,00,00
About Scott
Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author.
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February 09, 2004 7:51
What's wrong with ctrl-esc?
Jason
Speed my friend...when you type as fast as I do (my friends and fellow bloggers will back me up on this one) 3 keys is slower than 2. Also, Ctrl-Esc doesn't give you access to any of the Window Shortcuts:
Window-M - Minimize All
Window-R - Run
Window-D - Desktop
Window-Break - System Properties
Window-E - Explorer
and the list goes on...
Window-M - Minimize All
Window-R - Run
Window-D - Desktop
Window-Break - System Properties
Window-E - Explorer
and the list goes on...
Wow, clever gyroscopes!
Don Box was whingeing about the lack of windows keys on keyboards a month or two back. Does he know about Key Remapping?
(I see it only works on XP or Win 2K. But I don't suppose the Don is using Win 95.)
cheers
lb
Don Box was whingeing about the lack of windows keys on keyboards a month or two back. Does he know about Key Remapping?
(I see it only works on XP or Win 2K. But I don't suppose the Don is using Win 95.)
cheers
lb
Only just saw this, linked off your Ultimate Developer Tool List...
On my A31p, I remapped the "Forward" and "Back" keys (wrapped around the cursor keys) to the Application Menu & Windows keys, respectively. Works like a charm... :D
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,5b,e0,6a,e0,5d,e0,69,e0,00,00,00,00
On my A31p, I remapped the "Forward" and "Back" keys (wrapped around the cursor keys) to the Application Menu & Windows keys, respectively. Works like a charm... :D
"Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,5b,e0,6a,e0,5d,e0,69,e0,00,00,00,00
Uh, Scott, I just noticed coming here from your 2005 Tools page that this page is named incorrectly:
GRYOscopes... instead of GYROscopes...
GRYOscopes... instead of GYROscopes...
There is a tool that comes with the Thinkpad (I've just bought my T43p :)) that allows you to map several keys, it's called Keyboard Customizer Utility. Right Ctrl key is a better choice for the Win key as right alt is usually the "master" key for VPC.
Is there an app to remap other keys?
I have a toshiba tecra m2 and the `~ key is right where I want the windows key to be.
I have a toshiba tecra m2 and the `~ key is right where I want the windows key to be.
Any way to remap the "Access IBM" button into something useful like a Win key?
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