Microsoft says a Copilot key is coming to keyboards on Windows PCs starting this month

Do people actually want this?

Like, I know the megacorps that control our lives do (since it's a cheap way of adding value to their products), but what about actual users? I think many see it as a novelty and a toy rather than a productivity tool. Especially when public awareness of "hallucinations" and the plight faced by artists rises.

Kinda feels like the whole "voice controlled assistants" bubble that happened a while ago. Sure they are relatively commonplace nowadays, but nowhere near as universal as people thought they would be.

Do people actually want this?

Nope. Just like those stupid hard coded buttons on my Roku remote that I have never used.
- I think it's those stupid hard coded buttons on my remote that I accidentally press every so often then have to repeatedly try and back/exit out of the stupid thing it launched that I cannot remove/uninstall from my tv.
- https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-remapping-android-tv-remote-buttons.4433617/
Do people actually want this?

Absolutely not. But this is the new standard now.
- The new Micro$oft standard, which, as always, is bullshit and should be avoided and ignored at all times.
Maybe I'm a pessimist but this is going to really resonate with the people who are "looking forward to AI" because they read headlines, but haven't actually used any LLMs yet because nobody has told them how.
I want a voice controlled assistant that runs locally and is fully FOSS and I can just run on my bog standard linux PC, hardware minimum requirements nonwithstanding
- All I want is a real life iteration of J.A.R.V.I.S. and several billion dollars so I can blurt out cool ideas and have them rendered and built in a couple hours.
  
  I'll be good I promise.
- Mycroft was the best bet for this before now being continued by open voice OS.
Not a single soul wants this. They just want to use every foul trick to get you to use copilot (by accident even) just like they do with bing and their other garbage.
Another key to bind to something else? Hell yeah
- Nope, just a new logo on an existing key.

This is the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard of. I'm not buying any keyboard or laptop that has this key. There's enough Linux-first vendors these days that it's easy to avoid (Framework, System76, Tuxedo, etc). It's time to be done with Lenovo and Dell.

This is the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever heard of. I’m not buying any keyboard or laptop that has this key.

Which is exactly what people said about the Windows key.

Now it's all but impossible to buy a keyboard that doesn't have it. Worse, most of us use it without thinking.

Sure you can call it Super if you like, and even have a Tux key-cap on it, but there used to be a literal gap between the Alt keys and their Ctrl brethren in the lateral directions away from the space bar, and those days are long gone.

There'll be the niche users who stick with old keyboards without this new key, just like there are the die-hards who have stuck resolutely to the old IBM keyboards and the like from pre-1995, but if you want a new keyboard?

Gonna have to shell out a small fortune for a custom build or make do with that dumb new key.

(Shoutout to the Context Menu key which went as unmentioned in the above as it goes unused in day to day use, despite having been included with its Super cousin since day one.)
- I don't see an issue with a "super" key. But what would a copilot key bring that's of any value? The super key already does everything you'd need.
- Gonna have to shell out a small fortune for a custom build or make do with that dumb new key.
  
  I don't think this is true. Just buy a laptop from a company that ships it with Linux. No Windows, no Windows keys. It doesn't have to be 'custom'.
- The article actually says the Copilot key will mostly be replacing Menu or Right Control on existing layouts. So if you're already not using those (or are already re-binding them), it's just a new keycap.
- As you said, there used to be a gap there. Replacing a gap makes not that much harm and people find it useful even in Linux for keybindings. In more of an Alt kind of guy, but Super is also there for more combinations available.
  
  The Copilot key appears to be going were the right Control or right Alt key are right now, so that's going to be a bother for a lot of people.
Same, I think I might give the System76 Darter a try when I eventually have to replace my Xps 9370. It's bad enough that my computer comes with a windows logo on the super-key and often windows preinstalled. Shipping with a non-ANSI/ISO layout is a no-buy for me.
I fully agree with you, but Framework is definitely not Linux-first. The only OS they offer preloaded on their laptops is Windows. You have to install Linux yourself if you want it.
- I think they’re referring to Framework’s support for full Linux compatibility for at least Ubuntu, and making sure that the parts they use have first class Linux support and drivers and kernel integration.
Unfortunately, the "linux-first" vendors do not offer better deals than their competition.
- It depends on how and what you're measuring. A lot of Linux first, like system 76 and purism, do so e serious work on the firmware and boot systems of their systems. Which for some is a huge value add compared.
- They absolutely do, when one considers the negative value of Windows.
Ah yes, just like you had that option with the windows key right?
Like with the Windows key, this won't be an option.
I don't care as long as the placement is ok and I can map it to something useful. I'm a GNOME user so the Windows/Super key gets a lot of use. It's nice to have. A new key that I use for all my custom shortcuts would actually be kind of nice. Who cares that the default key caps are a Windows icon and this Copilot thing? Change the key caps and they are just keys.

This is Clippy v2.0 and I'm sure it will be just as helpful.

They've learned from their mistakes, and concluded that Clippy failed because there was no Clippy key.

Oh "great", more crap between Ctrl and Alt.

[Grumpy grandpa] In my times, the space row only had five keys! And we did more than those youngsters do with eight, now nine keys!

In my time it was also nine. Back to the roots. ;->

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-cadet_keyboard
- Why doesn't my keyboard have a thumbs-up key?!
- Nice

So you can pressed accidentally activating the fucking AI and make the numbers go up so Microsoft can then go and say to investors look millions are using my AI. So annoying.

That's funny, because getting an ad for Copilot inside my startmenu was actually what made me go back to Linux after 10 years.

This tracks.

Can't wait to see this gone in the next 3 years.

"Oh yeah I remember these keyboards! Good times, that was before the
- before the what, op?
  
  BEFORE THE WHAT??
  
  sweats, knowing a time-traveler in our midst refused to tell us about the coming copilocalypse

Why? Win+C launches Copilot already, if you want to use it. It's simple enough currently, why change it? This will just make everything worse.

Why? Investment hype
- Bingo
- Awesome Keyboard with AI Support *
  
  * On supported Operating Systems **
  
  ** With separate subscription.
I can't wait to no longer find a keyboard without this key.
- Welcome to the custom mechanical keyboard scene.
- You can always use those keyboards from the 2000's
- I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find keyboards with a different icon that the ugly copilot, and then you can map it to whatever you want.
because most people are unaware of keybindings and when they inevitable tap on the new dedicated key they'll probably be shown a subscription screen for Copilot Premium or whatever they call it.

IMO it's a very disgusting and intrusive way of fishing subscriptions to the AI thing they've invested so much money on.
Like the shitty bixby button on phones.
- In the five years of owning this phone, I have never once pressed that button on purpose. I press it on accident at least once a week.

Really milking that fad before they inevitably push anything useful behind a monthly paywall.

As long as the ability to manually turn off secureboot and remove the OS isn't locked behind a subscription...
It's already behind a paywall. You can't access ChatGPT-4 without paying.
- and yet they are still loosing money by running ChayGPT 3.5 for free. I guess that in the future they'll switch to a local small model in the hardware that is capable enough.

this kind of shit is what gives AI a bad rep

no one needs this

almost no one wants it

and they'll kill it in a couple of years like they did it with Cortana

They killed Cortana?
- Thankfully, yes. But cortana has been replaced by copilot so we are in the same place

how the fuck can they just decide this

Probably through licensing agreements with PC retailers.

But you can also just decide not to buy them.
- can i decide to buy a keyboard without the windows key today?
Microsoft is a monopoly. Stallman was right, as usual in software
- stallman is still right

I am getting flashbacks to the multimedia keyboards on yesteryear:

https://deskthority.net/wiki/Multimedia_keyboard

Thanks MS, but no thanks, I don't need it.

I love these, it has actual useful keys
- I will admit that the volume wheel was awesome
yeah, the media controls are actually useful.
For real though, I loved those. That wireless Logitech one with the volume dial lasted me a decade.
- My mom had one, I absolutely loved using that thing when I did

I have nothing against the people that are working on AI and appreciate the work they do. However every time I see an article about a company using AI like this I just get the vibe that it's a bunch of middle aged men trying desperately to make things like the "future" they saw when they were a kid. I've seen amazing implementations of AI in a lot of different ways but I'm so sick of dumb ideas like this because some guy that used to watch Star Trek as a kid wants to feel like they live in the future while piggybacking on someone else's work. It's like the painted tunnel in cartoons where it looks like a real tunnel but in reality it's just a very convincing lie. And that's all that it is. Complexity does not mean sophistication when it comes to AI and never has and to treat it as such is just a forceful way to make your ideas come true without putting in the real effort.

Sorry, I had to get that out. Also I have nothing against Star Trek and I used to watch it as a kid because my parents watched it all the time.

some guy that used to watch Star Trek as a kid wants to feel like they live in the future while piggybacking on someone else’s work.

I don't think they care about their own nostalgia. I think they ant to use other people's dreams to make a lot of money. I'm also sure some of them genuinely just ant to push the technological envelope just cause they can, ethics be damned. But ultimately, it's just money.

I would love nothing more than the utopian future Trek promised but greed is killing it.
Complexity does not mean sophistication when it comes to AI and never has and to treat it as such is just a forceful way to make your ideas come true without putting in the real effort.

It's a bit off-topic, but what I really want is a language model that assigns semantic values to the tokens, and handles those values instead of directly working with the tokens themselves. That would be probably far less complex than current state-of-art LLMs, but way more sophisticated, and require far less data for "training".
- I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean hearing codewords triggering actions as opposed to trying to understand the users intent through language? Or is are there a few more layers to this whole thing than my moderate nerd cred will allow me to understand?

Please don't.

Wonder if it will be CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + WIN + C

Also known as fist+c
Now I'm wondering, with which fingers would you press all those buttons? The most comfortable way to press these keys with 1 hand is to rotate the keyboard 180 degrees
- They don't intend for you to, it's just easier to make a giant button combo that their generic HID driver handles as a special case than to create a custom keyboard protocol with their special key enums and a custom driver that only windows supports.

Is copilot another windows app I'll need to uninstall? Thanks for the heads up!

It should be the reason to switch to Linux, finally, again.

I'm happy as a clam with my 1984 loud as fuck IBM Model M keyboard in Windows.

Think you need a Windows key? CTRL-ESC. I use CTRL-ESC even on modern keyboards.

Best keyboard ever, will also last forever.

I use capslock as superkey.
- I actually use caps lock fairly regularly as a embedded systems programmer. With my large hands CTRL-ESC is pretty easy for me.
That's a pretty cool keyboard
- I bought mine here but there are other places that restore them.

Time to buy some more of those little Tux keyboard superkey stickers :)

Woo-hoo! Secondary hyper modifier key - can't wait!!!

Yay! I petition to call it Duper
Soon we'll be able to emacs the way the developers intended.

Can they just make the copilot shortcut on my taskbar permanently fuck off? It appears erratically and I don't seem to be able to get rid of it when it's there.

https://debian.org
- I dual boot PopOS which has been great. Only use Windows for a couple of games that don't work well with proton.
Right click taskbar.

Taskbar settings

Turn off copilot

Lol fuck off Microdong.

Can't help but think about how Facebook inc rebranded itself to Meta to chase/promote the metaverse fad.

Just realized my keyboard is 22 years old.

Sounds like you can legally fuck it.
- Who says he hasn’t?

Can't wait to accidentally press it while gaming, just like the Windows key!

It's already bad enough that windows 11 has a bing AI button on the top left AND top right corners of the start menu. Like wtf

Another key for me to pop off my keyboard. Great.

So it disappears without Windows?

I guess we'll have to find a use for that new key on Linux, and Linux laptop vendors will end up with some alternative symbol for it...
- maybe bring back the hyper key! (Wikipedia link)

Nope

i run linux on a surface and it's great. when it breaks beyond repair though, i won't get another because of bullshit like this

Planning on buying a surface and installing Linux. How's your experience, is there so much bullshit to deal with? I really want a Linux tablet
- touchscreen and stuff work fine in linux-surface
  
  you need libcamera for the camera to work

Just make it remapable (is that a word?) and I don't really care

Remapping instructions are here
- I don't use Windows, but given that their office key just sends ctrl+shift+alt+meta, I'm afraid that this could send something like meta+alt that windows users don't use, but it would be useless for some Linux users that already use that key combo.
I don't think you can easily remap keys in Windows.
- Please see my explanation of what I meant by that.

Everyone talking it's bad but I think it's not, I mean you got another key for shortcut to anything you want after uninstall that crap it's useless anyway

Yeah. It's stupid and crummy, but it's a new key to bind. But then again, have you ever really used the context menu key? I have not.
- Context menu key is kinda essential for navigating without a mouse. I don't use it all that often but I am very glad it is there.
- True, I rarely use it when my mouse decided to crap itself

reminds me of the chromebook search key

AI AI AI AI AI AI!

Pillar man theme intensives (yes, this is jojo reference)
Calm down, Steve