The new Microsoftslop copilot key always sends the following key-sequence when pressed:

copilot key down: left-shift-down left-meta-down f23-down f23-up left-meta-up left-shift-up
copilot key up: <null>

This means there’s no real key-up event when you release the key --> it can’t be used (properly) as a modifier like ctrl or alt.

The workaround is to send a pretend key-up event after a time delay, but then you mustn’t be too slow / fast when pressing a shortcut.

tldr: AI took a perfectly working modifier key from you.

— edit —
Some keyboards apparently do the “right” thing and don’t send the whole sequence at once, you can remap those properly with keyd, see: https://github.com/rvaiya/keyd/issues/1025#issuecomment-2971556563 / https://github.com/rvaiya/keyd/issues/825

copilot key down: left-shift-down left-meta-down f23-down
copilot key up: f23-up left-meta-up left-shift-up

this will still break left-shift + remapped copilot and left-meta + remapped copilot, but RCtrl remaps should work as expected

  • FireWire400@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    5 hours ago

    My ThinkPad has one and it is just kinda there… despite it supposedly being remapable since Kernel 6.16 or so I can’t get it to properly remap.

    I’d love to map it to open LM Studio lol

  • MagicShel@lemmy.zipEnglish
    161·
    6 hours ago

    Did Microsoft demand vendors include such a button with those specs? If not, that sounds like a vendor issue, and I’d be looking at other vendors. Either way I’m happy to use keyboards/OSs without that “feature.”

      • brsrklf@jlai.luEnglish
        13·
        5 hours ago

        So to be clear, this key sequence is just how windows interpret the key, the hardware is exactly the same and any other OS can still use it as the context menu key?

        Edit : oh, just saw the thing about the linux workaround. So no, they actually fucked it up on hardware level. Wow.

        • attero@discuss.tchncs.deOPEnglish
          12·
          5 hours ago

          nope, the hardware / keyboard controller sends a complete key sequence instead of a distinguishable key-up and key-down event. The OS can interpret that sequence as it sees fit, but you loose the physical key-up signal when you release the key with your finger.

          • Corngood@lemmy.mlEnglish
            4·
            2 hours ago

            That’s insane. Even if they did this intentionally to be as difficult as possible, they locked themselves out of being able to detect long presses?

            • attero@discuss.tchncs.deOPEnglish
              2·
              2 hours ago

              I’ve made an update edit: Some hardware vendors fucked up when to send the key-up-sequence apparently so now every keyboard can behave differently. I don’t know if this makes the situation better or worse.

      • MagicShel@lemmy.zipEnglish
        31·
        6 hours ago

        AI PC / Copilot+ label

        Okay that sounds solvable, at least. I mean, I hate it, but it seems that a person is getting what they pay for here. Thanks for the heads up. Hopefully there will be plenty of non-AI PC / Copilot+ computers and keyboards.

  • ominous ocelot@leminal.spaceEnglish
    3·
    3 hours ago

    It’s worth taking a look in the BIOS/ UEFI setup - maybe the key can be remapped there? Once the default F-key behaviour could be defined in there for ThinkPad devices.

  • QuandaleDingle@lemmy.worldEnglish
    101·
    6 hours ago

    Just don’t buy an AI slop PC and get a Thinkpad, or a Framework laptop instead. Vote with your wallet. If you already own an AI PC, well, OP’s post might help.

    • TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.caEnglish
      111·
      6 hours ago

      Base model Macbook Airs are very hard to beat for price:performance, especially now the new base model has 16gb of RAM. I’ve been to numerous local computer shops and felt and tried numerous Windows laptops that were around the same price and they all felt like flimsy plastic trash.

      The Mac Mini is also very good for its price and size. My dad is considering a base model Mini to replace his Windows office computer which is on 10 and reached EOL and he doesn’t want 11.

      • wjrii@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        14 minutes ago

        I was using a 2012 “vintage” minitower PC that originally came with Win7 as a crappy little plex/local FTP/Minecraft server, and I had been wanting to try MacOS after not seeing it for a while, so I got a Mac Mini with an M2 in it, and while I’ve hardly stressed it, it seems really nice. It’s small and completely silent, and if I did want to use it more, Apple has certainly tried to keep their walled garden pretty and well-organized.

      • bagsy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        2 hours ago

        Just the battery life alone will be enough to hook you on macs. The air is such a nice piece of hardware for the price.

      • kernelle@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        When you realise the main difference between an Air and a Pro is active cooling on the CPU on the Pro, it makes sense why the Air is a powerhouse. Knowing the M-series is very efficient, you’ll only notice the difference on heavy loads. (I know the Pro has more options, but it only makes a difference in specific workloads)

        Paying the exuberant Apple tax for more soldered RAM and storage is something you’ll never see me do as long as there are ultrabooks without permanently attached storage.

      • otacon239@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        5 hours ago

        I have an M1 Pro that’s still going strong without issues, even with 8GB RAM. They’re insanely durable (repair issues aside) and MacOS is wildly good at resource management.

      • thejml@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        3·
        5 hours ago

        I prefer it, however there are apps for Mac to remap it if you like. I use Karabiner to remap my Capslock to Escape. I have Capslock and moving the escape key there is much more ergonomic and where i have it on my custom mechanical keyboards.