Keyboards & Keyboard Shortcuts

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Hi, all!! New Mac-mini user with SL installed...

OK, here's the question in a nutshell: I'm using an MS Multimedia keyboard (PC) on this machine, and for the most part it's working perfectly fine. However, none of the keyboard shortcuts I'm used to (Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V, Ctrl-X, etc) work (probably a PC v. Mac thing). Do these exist on Mac?

Also, do I REALLY need a Mac keyboard (Option v. Control keys)?

Thanks!
SteveB
 

chscag

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Actually any USB keyboard will work OK. As for the shortcuts, it's a matter of getting used to what the equivalents are. For example: Control C and Control V on a typical Win keyboard are Cmd C and Cmd V on a Mac keyboard.

Here are the five most commonly used special keys on a Mac, and their Windows keyboard equivalents.

Mac key – Windows key

Control – Ctrl

Option – Alt

Command (the four leaf clover) – Windows

Delete – Backspace

Return – Enter

You can dig around and find a full list on the web. By the way, Apple sells an aluminum wired keyboard for $49.99. You can find them even less expensive slightly used on the OWC website. Here's one for $29.99.
 
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sierraphotog
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chscag, thanks for replying!!

I did some playing around, and I can't get the same functionality on this keyboard by using the alternate keys you suggested. I was able to successfully remap the keys in Word, so I'm not totally lost, but functionality in other programs may take a bit more time to figure out. I'm a HEAVY keyboard select/cut/paster, and it's just too slow to use the mouse for all that. I maintain a number of client websites on Squarespace, for example, and being able to quickly cut/paste/select is critical, and at this point I just can't use the Mac for this stuff. For example, shift-ctrl-rt_arrow (to select the following word) changes all font attributes on the following line rather that just select a word. Gotta figure that one out, too...

I also tried swapping around the alternate (sp) key settings in SysPrefs/Keyboard, but that didn't appear to have any effect on anything (I didn't reboot, so maybe I have to reboot after changing those settings?)...

Thanks, again!
SteveB
 

chscag

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Understand. Time to get a genuine Apple keyboard. Take note of my previous reply. :Smirk:
 

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