Default global hotkeys break application functionality
Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unity |
Opinion
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned | ||
unity (Ubuntu) |
Opinion
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned |
Bug Description
Some applications provide a lot of keyboard shortcuts for the advanced users. Many times theese shortcuts are already binded by the desktop environment. The corresponding functionality usually not lost, still accessible by other, more difficult method (like the menu bar)
Examples:
- In one of the commercial IDEs Alt-F7 would find variable usages. But since this shortcut is already handled by the WM a window resize starts instead. This is not what the user might expect, so it's confusing, and makes the desired function harder to access.
- Alt-clicking on a link in Chrome would save the link's target immediatey (without "save file as" dialog), but instead Alt-click initiates window move, this function afaik not accessible otherwise.
I'd suggest re-mapping the desktop environment level global hotkeys so they would use the Super key as modifier instead of alt, ctrl-alt.
Reasons:
- The "Super" key afaik is not used in any application as modifier, so less or no application level functionality would be broken.
- Modifying the current layout could be as easy as replacting "Ctrl-Alt-" with "Super-", since currenty the Super- counterpart of the current shortcuts are not used for anything. For example instead of locking the screen with Ctrl-Alt-L, Super-L could lock the screen. Super+drag coul move a window instead of Alt-drag, etc. This changes would be easy to assume to the users who might be familiar with the current shortcuts.
- It would make sense to use a different modifier for the functions provided by the desktop environment. The Super (Windows) key can easily suggest that the function has something to do with windows, or at least the desktop environment, and not the applications.
Changed in unity: | |
status: | New → Opinion |
Changed in unity (Ubuntu): | |
status: | New → Opinion |
Alt+click to move a window is almost universal across FOSS desktops and has been for ages. IMHO Chrome should be embarrassed about that one.
Alt+F4 to close a window works across most FOSS and non-FOSS desktops.
Alt+F[789] have been the norm in Gnome and now Unity for quite some time.
Changing Alt+F4 would probably be the toughest sell of all because it bridges into non-FOSS compatibility and user expectations. I don't see how keeping Alt+F4 but making F[789] inconsistent with it could be anything but a step backwards.