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Comment by snikeris | Hacker News Reader

This is cool.

While we're discussing optimizing emacs keybindings...I've found it key to have my bindings set up such that my thumbs operate the control modifier key.

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I'm fine with the standard CAPS_LOCK is CTRL setup...

I got a pretty bad case of RSI with that setup, since it encourages one-handed chording (e.g. pressing C-x C-s by holding down your pinkie on Caps Lock while twisting your wrist to tap X then S using other fingers on the same hand). It’s far more ergonomic to do two-handed chording, where you press one key at a time with each hand to the extent possible. For me, that meant using Karabiner Element (Mac) and Keyd (Linux) to map Return to another Ctrl key when held down (in addition to the Caps as Ctrl mapping). Then I can simply hold down Return with my right hand and tap X then S with whatever fingers feel natural on the left hand, without twisting my wrist at all.

Indeed. I had RSI issues very early in my career, and the standard advice by ergonomists was "Use both hands when doing any multi-key sequence". If you're doing Ctrl-C, use the right Ctrl button, and so on.

I think I've just been lucky that I never had issues with that.

For C-x C-s specifically, my hand hardly moves and definitely does not twist, it's very natural for me to type.

I could never get used to that. I should probably try forcing the issue to see if I can rewire my muscle memory, but I'm afraid that it'll be a problem in places where I don't want caps lock rebound to ctrl.

I've made it a second ctrl decades ago... you so rarely need caps lock (unless you're shouting on the internet) that it's a gain rather than a loss. Your pinky can rest much more comfortably on the key and you don't have to twist your joint to reach CTRL.

Give it another try.

I like "both Shift keys" to toggle caps lock on the odd occasions it's useful.

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