Does the insert key on a keyboard actually serve a purpose? The only time I use it is by accident. I googled it and you can actually disable it. One of the stupidest designs in Microsoft Word is that it still recognizes the Ins (Insert) key on your keyboard and treats it the same way as early DOS wordprocessors did in the 1980s. In the heyday of DOS-based word processors and 5-1/4" floppy diskettes, the Ins was used to switch between "Insert mode" and "Overwrite / Overtype mode," at least before software developers learned that most people don't like Overtype mode (and nearly nobody knows how they got there when it happens). by default, you're in "Insert mode" when you write in MS Word (or any word processor for that matter); this means that if your text cursor is between two words: The lightning | scares me and you type a word, it looks like this: The lightning bug| scares me But if you've accidentally press the Ins key beforehand, then you'd get this mess instead: The lightning bug|ares me as the three characters " sc" are overwritten instead of simply pushed out of the way. The simple solution is to press the Ins key again to go back to Insert mode, and then fix your mistake. But the better solution is to disable this simple (and very old) annoyance entirely, which, of course, is not obvious in Word. Instead, you'll need this workaround: Select Macro from the Tools menu, and then select Record New Macro. Type DoNothing for the Macro name (no spaces, please). Click Keyboard. Click in the Press new shortcut key field and press the Ins key. The word "Insert" will appear. Click Assign and then Close. You'll then be sent back to the main editing page, and a Stop Recording toolbar will appear floating above your page. Immediately press the little Stop button on toolbar (the tiny square). That's it! You've just created a macro, activated by the Ins key, that does absolutely nothing. The next time you press the Ins key, that's exactly what you'll get: nothing! Note: if pressing Ins still does do something, it means you weren't quick enough when you clicked the Stop button. Anything you do between steps 5 and 6 will be recorded and played back every time you press Ins. To try again, go to Tools -> Macro -> Macros, select the macro you just created, and click Delete. Then, repeat the above procedure again.
I have been around computers all my life. My grade school made us go to computer class 2 times a week every week so we could learn computers. And until I read that post, I had never even looked or known of the insert key. I don't think I've ever used any of those keys except the DELETE one.
The Insert key is a bit of a bitch, but another thing that bugs me is scroll lock... the only time I EVER notice it is in Excel and Visio when it's engaged (or disengaged) and things don't quite work like normal. So annoying... Ed O.
Can't those keys be programmed? The insert key on my work computer when pushed will cause all mr programs to not allow me to strike over words. So I suppose it does something.
My pet peeve: F1 in Excel. I use F2 a LOT, and every time I accidentally brush F1, it freezes for a few seconds while a help window opens. Really kills my rhythm. The one thing I miss most from the old Quattro Pro days is being able to hit ESC and stop that consarned help window from opening in the first place.
I only ever hit insert by accident. I don't like that it overwrites text because I am constantly reviewing my spelling/grammar/punctuation when I'm typing. I type fast and sloppy, like yo' momma. Whatever that means.
I don't use any of the buttons to the right of the spacebar. Alt Gr, Windows Key, Right Click thingy, and right Ctrl.
