Personally nothing but when I look at it I wonder if the big bang could actually have been a white hole.
I used to have bunch of key maps, now it’s just: tap it to pull up the start menu and type software I want to open, and meta + space to change language input on my keyboard.
I guess pretty much it.
Bazzite KDE default seems fine for me.
Use as
$metain my .i3/config, so … lots of things.I always just remapped it to the super button, and most applications actually automatically map it to the super button.
The default for Gnome. It’s a really useful app switcher.
Came here to say this. Basically, the same way it’s used in Windows. I hit the key, type a few characters and I launch the app I seek.
Exactly. I love Gnome for this.
To open the App Menu, and for a mod key, same as in Windows
Switched the cap so I wouldn’t have to see that ugly logo… mapped it to the soper key for Hyprland
I don’t have one. If I did, I want change the keycap.
Now… it’s called a meta key https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_key … and I use it exactly as one would on Windows, e.g. Meta-e starts the file explorer … but I added my shortcuts too e.g. :
- meta+k for konsole
- meta+f for FIP (online French radio, music only, no ads)
- meta+F to stop FIP
- meta+a to play the series I’m currently watching
- meta+A to stop mpv (playing the current series)
- meta+o to turn on my office lights
- meta+l to turn off those lights
- meta+ESC to turn off lights and suspend computer
- meta+s for Spectacle to take a screenshot
and I have quite a others I can’t recall right now.
As far as I am aware, the “Windows” key is generally mapped as the Super key, not he Meta key.
My bad then, as I mentioned before unfortunately I have no such keyboard available anymore.
No problem, though I must admit I’m curious about your keyboard as it is quite uncommon to not have one. Are you using an older keyboard that lacks one or one of the “winkeyless” enthusiast mechanical keyboards or maybe a really small form factor keyboard?
one of the “winkeyless” enthusiast mechanical keyboards…
That’s me, in fact you can see my keymap at https://github.com/Utopiah/zmk-config-zen-2/blob/main/config/corneish_zen.keymap#L27 for my Corne-ish Zen 3x6
I’ve used Linux since 1998, and several DEs. I’ve never heard the Windows key referred to as a “meta” key.
Its the super key, the meta key is now Alt IIRC
Not according to Wikipedia (linked to initially already) nor KDE Plasma which I’m using :
The wikipedia page you linked says otherwise.
On keyboards that lack a physical Meta key, its functionality may be invoked by other keys such as the Windows key or Macintosh’s Option key.[4] However, software often provides another workaround, such as using the Alt key (which does not exist on the Knight keyboard), or using the Esc key as a prefix (e.g., in Emacs). Because of these workarounds, the need for Meta – despite being the most-used additional modifier key – was less than for other modifier keys. It is more common today to use the Windows key to emulate the Super key.
I don’t have a physical keyboard with a Windows key to verify (gave that to a friend who need an ergonomic keyboard few weeks ago) but AFAICT
xevor KDE Plasma again returnmetawhen pressed on that key.Also ZMK https://zmk.dev/docs/keymaps/list-of-keycodes list GUI as Meta
GUI (Windows / Command / Meta)and QMKLGUI(kc) G(kc), LCMD(kc), LWIN(kc)https://docs.qmk.fm/feature_advanced_keycodesMy interpretation of “Meta key, its functionality may be invoked by other keys such as the Windows key or Macintosh’s Option key” is that the Windows key is the meta key, isn’t it what it says?
KDE uses “meta” to refer to the Windows key. Emacs uses “meta” to refer to the Alt key. You are correct that GNOME calls the Windows key “Super”.
This causes some confusion, obviously we Linux users don’t want to call it the Windows key, so the best solution is to call the keys “Super” and “Alt”, those are unambiguous.
Relevant section:
At first, around 1996, it was common practice to make the Windows key act as Meta. However, because of the existing alternative keys for Meta in Emacs, the reintroduction of a hardware Meta key binding did not prove exceptionally useful. This made Super the next most frequently emulated key of choice, and thus it became the standard assignment for the Windows key under X11.
Most Linux software and documentation calls these keys “Super” keys. However, they are still referred to as KEY_LEFTMETA and KEY_RIGHTMETA in the kernel,[5] and some documentation such as that of KDE Plasma refers to it as just the Meta key.[6][7] “Windows” and ⌘[8] are also used in documentation.
Just general command key for shortcuts?
It is probably my most pressed button because of this, also i changed the keycap to eye of horus.
It’s for window management related hotkeys. Obviously. All about windows. With a lowercase “w”.
It opens my programs menu (or start menu to use the Windows vernacular). It’s still incredibly useful for me to have it that way
Same as I do on Windows. When I want to open an application I press it and type in the name. For example: Windows, C, M, D, Enter (I type CMD even on Linux).
by holding it i can grab a window anywhere to drag it
Hold super and right-click a window to resize it. Ymmv
Oh, yeah, and holding the right mouse and dragging to resize the window.
Change mine to blank transparent keycap, I generally use it for mod key
I don’t have one. In its place I have a meta key with a diamond design on the keycap. Why would I need a “Windows” key if I haven’t used Windows in over a decade?
This
