Xah Lee, 2009-07
This page collect tips and tools about creating your own system-wide keyboard shortcuts on Microsoft Windows.
Different tools have different features and purposes. They can do the following:
Here's a list of good tools, each one does some or all functionalities above.
Intellitype This is a very feature rich keyboard driver that comes with Microsoft keyboards. You can use this to swap mod keys, disable mod keys, or set F keys or special keys to launch any app. The key sets can be different for each app. It also has a basic keyboard macro ability for mostly gaming purposes.
The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator. Source. A unofficial tool from Microsoft to creat your own keyboard layouts. (i haven't tried yet)
QuicKeys is a commercial key automation system that started life on the Mac in early 1990s. It was very popular on the Mac throughout the 1990s. Since 2000s, it has Windows version as well.
I used QuicKeys from about 1991 to 2002. It is comprehensive, and can do keyboard remapping, assigning keys to scripts or apps, keyboard macro, keys to insert arbitrary text, as well as recording mouse clicks on windows or dialogs or menus. QuicKeys has changed companies over the years. I do not know its quality now.
AutoHotKey. This is a powerful scripting engine that also lets you assign keys to any script or run any app, or insert some text, or act as pressing other keys. This is the most powerful, but take a lot time to learn its Visual Basic like language.
To get you started, see: AutoHotKey Basics.
XKeymaps (2001-2007) by oishi@cam.hi-ho.ne.jp. Source. A tool designed to make Windows have emacs's keybindings. (I have not tried.) Note that, emacs's keybindings are actually very bad ergonomically. See: Why Emacs's Keyboard Shortcuts Are Painful.
Most important thing about keyboarding is actually a good keyboard hardware. For some suggestions, see:
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