Microsoft Word Rant

[PlatinumJester]

Who the **** decided it would be a good idea to put an overwrite program into Word and then assign it to a key right next to the backspace button? In fact who designed the the overwrite system. If anone can come up with a logical use for it then I will give them a cookie.

[Brickwall]

Okay...it's not that annoying. It's just a holdover from ancient days. The people who designed it are maybe already dead. It's that old.

[Gnorosch]

Well, that dates back to the time before word processors. Notepad will show the same behaviour, as almost any program which receives input from your keyboard (including the command line).

[Lord Herman]

The insert key is indeed pretty annoying. But it's not unique to Word.

[B-Man]

I like the insert key. It's invaluable to my programming when I don't feel like retyping a small little '1' to a '0' by means of backspace->0.

[Brickwall]

I like the insert key. It's invaluable to my programming when I don't feel like retyping a small little '1' to a '0' by means of backspace->0.

Instead you type: Insert-backarrow-0-Insert

Yeah, that's a real time-saver.

[B-Man]

Instead you type: Insert-backarrow-0-Insert

Yeah, that's a real time-saver.

But I press the INS when I start programming.

[Brickwall]

But I press the INS when I start programming.

So, instead of "backspace 0" it's "backarrow 0". So not only do you save 0 time, you actually have to use extra time to turn the function off when you're inserting something.

Bad strategy, B-Man.

[B-Man]

Meh, it's a habit I developed that I'm comfortable. If it seems inefficient, I could care less as it works for me. Especially if it's lots of 0's that need changing in different places and/or 0's in a row.

[Ceres]

What? Don't diss the insert-button. With just one simple click while they're not looking, you can annoy the hell out of anyone who's incompotent with a computer :smallbiggrin:

Though, well. I guess I've never been able to find an actual, practical use for it...

[Indon]

I've used Insert occasionally when coding. It's nice to have, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to put it in a more obscure place on the keyboard...

Like, I dunno, next to PrintScreen/Scroll Lock/Pause-Break.

[tannish2]

insert is great when your the only competent computer user in a computer retarded family and people are pissing you off.... thats the only use i can find for it, and i dont know what this overwrite thing is, please explain (i havent used word in ages, i type accurately when im awake, and i dont experiment with key combinations because if my computer dies im the only one here to fix it)

[Dib]

I used to use it for something... now I hate it... its annoying! I dont even press it half the time and it goes on anyway!!

[PlatinumJester]

What? Don't diss the insert-button. With just one simple click while they're not looking, you can annoy the hell out of anyone who's incompotent with a computer :smallbiggrin:

Though, well. I guess I've never been able to find an actual, practical use for it...

That is the only real use for it but that pales in comparison to the Shift + Alt + Print Screen trick.

[Leper_Kahn]

Who the **** decided it would be a good idea to put an overwrite program into Word and then assign it to a key right next to the backspace button? In fact who designed the the overwrite system. If anone can come up with a logical use for it then I will give them a cookie.

It's because you have chosen windows... NOW SUFFER! YOU CHOOSE THIS SUFFERING!!!


Seriously though it pisses me off beyond belief. It was even worse when I had to look at the keyboard to type. O.o I didn't notice until it was too late!

[FdL]

Am I getting this wrong or you're complaining about the very existance of the INSERT key in the numeric keypad????

[Hannes]

...The shift+alt+print screen trick?

[Arameus]

I have no use for it, but those that do a lot fo typing apparently do. My dad uses it quite a lot.

And if you're that clumsy with a keyboard, you're either drunk or have huge steak fingers.

[Gygaxphobia]

More annoying is how the spell check always seems to default to US English. Bah!

[Reinboom]

...The shift+alt+print screen trick?

Alt + PrintScreen captures the current open window. The shift, I have no idea why he included that.


For the insert problem: Why not just rewire your keyboard and then switch... scroll lock or something with insert? Or just make a macro for the key and then remove it.

[Samiam303]

Alt+Shift+Print Screen turns everything into "high contrast" mode, which is supposed to help the vision impared. It just makes everything freakin huge and ugly... try it. You can just use the same keycommand to reverse the process.

[Reinboom]

Alt+Shift+Print Screen turns everything into "high contrast" mode, which is supposed to help the vision impared. It just makes everything freakin huge and ugly... try it. You can just use the same keycommand to reverse the process.

Ah, note: Left Shift, and Left Alt.
This doesn't work with Right Shift or Right Alt.

- at least, for me

[SurlySeraph]

I used to accidentally turn on overwrite constantly. And I didn't know how to turn it off. I was so happy when I realized it was the "Ins" key and I now knew how to turn overwrite off, I can't even describe it. That's pretty nerdy right there, isn't it?

[tannish2]

I have no use for it, but those that do a lot fo typing apparently do. My dad uses it quite a lot.

And if you're that clumsy with a keyboard, you're either drunk or have huge steak fingers.

do NOT be insensitive to users of other drugs you intolerant bastard... but sometimes i reach over there for print screen or delete.... or and in a hurry to backspace.... or am typing with my knee/heel/chin/nose/tounge

[Arameus]

Intelligence often is inversely proportional to the ratio of ellipses to sentences on your post. I see that proof continues to mount for this.

I used to have no idea what the Insert key was. I'd do the same thing Seraph did, turn it on and not know how to turn it off! It actually is a pretty big "Eureka!" moment when you figure it out.

Hmm, I really don't know what advantage my Dad could really get by using it over just deleting and retyping. Maybe it's only of use in sermons.

[LCR]

Use Pages.


On second thoughts ... don't.

[Destro_Yersul]

My computer has no insert button. The delete key ate it.

Seriously though? I have a new(ish) keyboard. My Insert key is on the numbered keypad, and I think you have to deactivate Numlock to use it...

[bosssmiley]

Take a knife, use the flat of the blade to pop the Insert key out of the keyboard. Problem solved. :smallwink:

Source of idea: xkcd/com's dream-typing kybrd (http://blag.xkcd.com/2007/05/28/tools-for-dream-typing/#comments). :smallcool:

[LCR]

You know, I was rather worried when I read that your advice started with "Take a knife ...".

[Pyro]

My computer has no insert button. The delete key ate it.

Seriously though? I have a new(ish) keyboard. My Insert key is on the numbered keypad, and I think you have to deactivate Numlock to use it...

Me too. I was just looking down at it now and I was like "Wow! Awesome!" I always accidently press the insert key on other computers, and its so annoying, cuz it always takes me five overwrites to realize it. They should just replace the insert key with pi or something.

[Calamity]

My new keyboard: The Insert key is not next to backspace, the print screen button is, this is due to the power/sleep/wakeup button being where the print scn/scroll lock/pause keys usually are.

I didn't realise that the insert key caused the overwrite thing. I've been trying to figure what did it for months.

[FdL]

Yay for Windows. People use the computer when they don't know how the keyboard works :p

Instructions: "just click at they pretty colored things on the screen"

(insert "in my days" type comment)

[CrazedGoblin]

ive found a worse button. "F8" i use it as a talk button on Ventrillo and when i press it with word up its an "automatic way to screw up word" it seems to stop everything word can do until you restart the program.

[FdL]

ive found a worse button. "F8" i use it as a talk button on Ventrillo and when i press it with word up its an "automatic way to screw up word" it seems to stop everything word can do until you restart the program.

I'd look it up in the manual instead of complaining :p I somehow doubt they actually implemented a "screw everything up" key in Word.

Remember, padawans, the computer does whatever you make it do. Let's demystify computer usage. We'll get some of that when we're 70, 80.

[CrazedGoblin]

the button is the keyboard version of the Furbys, horriblly disturbing pure evil with a suger coating and google eyes

[FdL]

F8? Expand Selection? I never use it. But you cancel it with Esc anyway AFAIK.

[CrazedGoblin]

F8? Expand Selection? I never use it. But you cancel it with Esc anyway AFAIK.


cool ill have to remember that :smallbiggrin:

[Dragonrider]

Not all keyboards are the same. On mine (laptop), the insert key is along the bottom, next to the arrows and in the same row as the spacebar. The delete key is also there - on most machines that's on the top which irks me to no end, because my backspace key flips up every third hit (the latch holding it down is broken) so I used delete instead for most things.