Is numlock key actually useful?

parowki_z_dzemem@kbin.social to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 84 points –

I see no use for the numlock key, I'd rather just have the numpad on the whole time. Are there actually cases where it is useful or people who for some reason prefer their numpad turned off?

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You can still get some mechanical keyboards with numpads but not arrow keys, though since these are variations on compact layouts they tend to omit the numlock key as well.

Interesting. Most compact keyboards I've seen save space by removing the numpad, not the arrow keys. I assume you can emulate arrow keys by pressing some modifier key on those?

Exactly that. Royal Kludge makes one.

I think it's a good layout. I have a tenkeyless at home and for some tasks I definitely miss the number pad more than I'd miss the arrow keys, especially since the number pad by design doubles as arrow keys and always has. I've seen even smaller keyboards that have numpads but not the number row, which would also be sweet. Reclaim some vertical deskspace as well as horizontal.