All modern browsers have extensive keyboard shortcuts:
I tested every shortcut, and here's my list of keyboard shortcuts that work in all browsers – or, for the rare keyboard shortcuts I found especially useful, those that work in at least two of the above browsers.
I always found it strange that shortcuts are so well hidden. It seems like the standard UI designers are affraid that we suddenly should use the shortcuts too much or that our eyes will burn out by seeing too many shortcurts. Unless I dont use the application very often, I tend to forget the shorcuts, and I dont want to look them up every second, so then I just skip using them.
Thank you for the links, I will be using the search shortcuts alot now.
In Windows, the standard keyboard shortcut for closing a document in a MDI applications is CTRL+F4, and that closes the current tab in FF…I’m surprised that shortcut isn’t mentioned in today’s blog entry.
ALT+TAB changes app focus
CTRL+TAB changes document focus within the app
ALT+F4 closes current app
CTRL+F4 closes current document within the app
Its got great symmetry and feels natural…like SHIFT+INSERT for paste and SHIFT+DELETE for cut, it just makes sense
I agree with Jon Raynor - keyboard shortcuts are too much of a pain to remember for each application. I spend a lot of programming time in UltraEdit and do make heavy use of seven or eight keyboard shortcuts. Beyond that, it’s mouse time.
If you think about it, you’re primarily using the mouse to navigate a page usualy (keyboard navigation tends to lead to the page jumping all over the place as you find links)
I usually have one hand on the mouse and the other resting on the keyboard, but it depends what I’m doing. If you are primarily typing, try to stick to typing because neither hand is free. If you are primarily mousing, your left hand is still free.
keyboard shortcuts are too much of a pain to remember for each application
You don’t have to remember them ALL-- just the ones that improve your quality of life.
It also depends how much time you spend in that application. If you’re like me, I bet you spend a lot of time in the web browser. So plan accordingly…