Replace the Windows key with a Linux one or at least a generic "super" one

+1 for the framework logo, symbolises the laptop and be generic to the OS.

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Looks like you’re correct, my bad! :open_mouth: That changes a few things!

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Alas, I currently do the remapping in X. I’m not sure the US keyboard profile has a scan code for “compose” (though I’m also not sure what scan codes get emitted for “multimedia” keys); you might need a custom keyboard map to get that to work. And making fn+compose be caps lock probably requires BIOS changes or even changing the keyboard firmware.

OTOH, this is Framework… and I’ve seen other laptops (System76?) that let you fiddle with the keyboard scan codes.

Seems like you were being facetious, but “Caps Lock” and “Compose” are two different functions. You seem to like to map the “Compose” function to the key that by default is for “Caps Lock”. It would be as stupid for the key to be labeled “Compose” when it does the “Caps Lock” function, or for the key to be labeled “A” when it actually produces “X”.

Personally, on my current laptop Fn+K is a hidden scroll lock, but I have it remapped to “Kompose”. :grinning: (And I can type Fn+K Fn+K : D to get “:grinning:”.)

That was said in a comment in the discussion of the Keyboard blog post.

My impression is that it’s still possible, but you risk breaking things because the individual keys weren’t designed for being removed and put back on. And I’d guess Framework doesn’t intend to sell individual key caps. But who knows, maybe someone will in the marketplace?

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My read of that quote is that it’s not meant for individual switch replacement like you can do on a mechanical keyboard. That’s a very different thing from a keycap though.

Here is the question that reply seems to have been in reply to:

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Ah, ok thanks for clarifying that

I, like @horizonbrave mentioned, recognize that this is just a small detail in an already beautiful and amazing product - but like so many in this thread, it’s a small detail I can’t help but care about.

I wish I were brave enough to order a blank keyboard, I love the look of the blank black keys. I just don’t trust myself to know where anything is beyond the standard QWERTY letters…

Personally, the work-around I’m planning to try once mine arrives, is just a layer of acrylic paint via a paint marker on the super key. So it’ll just be blank, matte black. We’ll see how it holds up…

The FW logo on the “windows” shouldn’t even have to be requested. How did the wizards at Framework miss this opportunity??

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Here’s what I’ve done. I’m not advising this- I mean, I’m glad to have done it, but it’s by no means a perfect solution.

I grabbed an acrylic marker with two ends and used one end to, “paint,” the super key, and kept the other end dry to move the paint around, because I didn’t want to get so much paint on the key that it overpoured and got on the body, down under the metal, etc:

(notice there’s one, “clean,” end there and one inky end)

But I wasn’t happy with how the clean end, though effectively spreading the paint around, left lines in the dried layer:

So I did another layer, nice and thick, but careful to not let it overflow the edges of the key:

After letting that dry about 10 minutes, I’m really happy with how it looks in most light:

But if I get the light to just the right angle, it doesn’t look great:

I am happy with it, personally, as an interim solution to get rid of the Windows logo figuring I’ll someday replace the keyboard entirely, or something. But it’s certainly not a, “forever-fix”…

NOTE: I’ll be using a cleaning cloth, laid over the keyboard, whenever the screen is closed. I like doing this anyway to keep finger-grease off the monitor, but especially with this acrylic layer on the super key. Supposedly it’s now a solid, plastic layer on top of the key, but I’m not going to risk getting any residue on the monitor…

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+1 for the Framework logo.

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RE: above post regarding the acrylic paint over windows key (update):

After a few days of use it actually looks a little better. It’s still not a perfect solution. If you get the light just right, you can definitely tell this key is different from the rest. It’d be awesome to have just a blank key there, same finish as the rest, but no icon/logo on it at all… Here’s what it looks like now, when I get the light to shine just right, to make it look as bad/different from the rest of the keys as possible:

And it does not look great when the backlight is on. Here it is at full-brightness:

But most of the time, this is what it looks like:

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Now I want a little circle and slash sticker to put over that logo, as a more active protest …

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I’m with @bmstrong and all the others - +1 for the Framework logo.

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I wonder if there’s a kick-back from Micro$oft for putting the Windows logo on it? If that’s the case I resent that is the state of the universe but I’m happy to put up with it, even though I run Linux on mine, just to increase the chance Framework succeeds by 0.0024%.

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I remember reading that it’s mandatory if the laptop manufacturer wants OEM discounts for Windows licenses.

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Could Framework provide an adhesive sticker the same size and shape as the keys, and made from the same material as the actual key caps to cover the extortion-required logo key?

They probably have other priorities right now, but this would sound like a nice community DIY project!

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Relatively expensive solution, but I got around this by ordering the blank keyboard from the marketplace. No logos when there’s no legend.

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Further update on above-described attempt to paint the super key:

I’d hoped that by using exterior-strength acrylic it’d hold up for a long time, but tonight it all just suddenly flaked-off. Luckily it wasn’t messy, just a black dust, and the Windows logo rose like a Phoenix from the ashes…

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