Hacker News Reader

Comment by mixmastamyk | Hacker News Reader

Windows did both successfully.

I can't remember an example that didn't also include the shortcut written in full, but I might just be drawing a blank here. Care to give an example?

Wasn't easy to find!

https://www.augenbit.de/wiki/images/5/57/Arbeitsplatz.png

Yup, pretty sure I've seen the same sorts of things using Asian characters.

Fair. I just remember them being inconsistent between the English and localised versions of Windows, and given I used both, that turned into a nothing-feature. Another comment mentioned you could edit the underlines in Office 2003, but I never knew that back in the day (or until today for that matter...).

It's pretty hard for the shortcuts to be consistent and localized. Especially if you also use different keyboard layouts when you're using different languages...

Even for keys that aren't mnemonic, do you want undo to be ctrl + z or ctrl + the key closest to left shift?

> It's pretty hard for the shortcuts to be consistent and localized. Especially if you also use different keyboard layouts when you're using different languages...

Hence my original comment. I haven't had a problem with different keyboard layouts, since most of the keys that change are on the outer edge, nowhere near where the most common shortcuts are located (then again, I rarely type using QWERTZ).

> Even for keys that aren't mnemonic, do you want undo to be ctrl + z or ctrl + the key closest to left shift?

CTRL+Z, since that's what it's been since time immemorial, even on ISO keyboards. Consistency is king.

And for complex languages like CJK, often the key you would press is not even present in the string at all.

Example: What should the accelerator be, and how should it be displayed, if your "Exit" option is labeled 終了?

I checked VLC and apparently they use: 終了 (Q)

Even though "Q" doesn't necessarily make any sense to Japanese people who don't understand any English.

Japanese keyboards also have Latin labels, so it's at least possible to put two and two together there, although it would probably be better to write '終了 (た)' (unless there are local conventions to the contrary).

Effectively nobody in Japan uses or even knows the kana keyboard layout though, only QWERTY. My comment was more that they may not know the word "quit" for the Q to be meaningful to them... not that they can't find it on the keyboard.

Similarly as an English speaker I would be quite confused if the shortcut key for exit was a totally different letter like P or something.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com