For one, the character coverage is much broader than what's typically found on an international keyboard.
I use it all the time for typing arrows and other symbols, for example. YMMV but I also find it mnemonically better, from time to time I can just guess what the right Compose sequence is.
Wouldn't it be better to just create a new keyboard layout featuring the composed keys you want, rather than running software constantly in the background to achieve the same thing?
Not really. I don't know in advance which symbols I want to type, and even then I'd have to learn where I put the symbols on the custom layout, while the compose sequences I can usually guess. Considering the amount of background processes the typical Windows system runs, having one additional program really doesn't make a difference.
I don't necessarily mean that each individual user of the software should do this. I mean, why not just create a new layout instead of developing this? Or as a user, why not just use a layout someone else has already developed which has logical choices for the composed keys?
EDIT: Some compelling arguments in favour of the app in this thread. Thank you
On the 1 key, I have 1 and !. Maybe I could add ¹ and ₁, with AltGr and Shift+AltGr (or Ctrl, or something). Maybe ½ and ¼?
With Compose, I have ¹, ₁, ½, ⅓, ¼, ⅕, ⅙, ⅐, ⅛, ⅑, ⅒, ①, ⑩, ⑪, … ㊶ which involve the 1 key. I do not need to look up the sequences for these, as they're intuitive: Compose ^ 1, Compose _ 1, Compose 1 2, … Compose ( 4 1 ).
You could maybe use AltGr combined with dead keys to accomplish that, but I suppose it would be limited to combinations of two keys (plus the modifier).
EDIT: Actually, it seems Windows supports chained dead keys, so I think you could accomplish longer sequences with a plain old Windows keyboard layout definition too. But that's not supported with MSKLC.
you can't compose keyboard layouts, so you'd either have to stick with only QWERTY or generate separate enhanced layouts for Azerty + Dvorak + etc. discoverability would also be harder, and you'd have to hold down every key in the combo instead of pressing them in sequence holding the compose key, so you couldn't distinguish /ae/ vs /ea/ and you'd get carpal tunnel.
side-note: X11 layouts are really frustrating. there's a hard constraint of one key combo -> one Unicode character, which makes it impossible to output multiple characters. I run into this with Lushootseed, which has /ƛ̕/ (glottalized barred lambda encoded as barred lambda + accent marker), but you'd never write it without the accent in that language.
> there's a hard constraint of one key combo -> one Unicode character, which makes it impossible to output multiple characters.
The orthodox solution for this problem is an IME.
Quickest path to success is via editing a new map file /usr/share/m17n/lut.mim (see Blackfoot and Inuktitut in the same directory for examples of multiple character output) and then using the m17n plugin for fcitx or scim or ibus.
Because a Compose key allows you to type any of thousands of characters, which (a) isn't possible with a custom keyboard layout, and even if it was, (b) would be very difficult to learn.
So you're going to turn every key on the keyboard into a dead key? Also, the compose file can easily be customized, and some entries output multiple characters or involve non-character keys like the arrows. How is that going to work with a static keyboard layout?
Only AltGr + [the key] would be a dead key, not the bare key itself. Perhaps a tool could be made to convert compose files into Windows keyboard layout definitions with this strategy
That's a good point about non-character keys though, I don't think that could be supported with this method.
It’s prescribed here in Canada, but at least in Alberta, the prescription goes along with annual in-depth retina screening to catch retinal toxicity before there’s permanent vision loss. It’s ok, but there’s a reason it’s not available over the counter.
I am on a bus, but I want to point out here that CO2 is a powerful greenhouse gas because of its volume and its residence time. Its half-life in the atmosphere is far far longer than the H2O molecule, so its corresponding contribution to the greenhouse effect is also greater over time.
It depends how you look at that. Currently about 1/3 of our carbon emission are absorbed by the ocean [1]. H2O is pretty much entirely absorbed by the ocean, and then re-released (the well-known water cycle in the nature). Now, when people say that the half-life of CO2 in the atmosphere is 1000 years or so, they generally neglect that part where some CO2 is dissolved in the ocean, presumably because it can be re-released later. But that's (trivially) the same with H2O.
I have not been everywhere, but Ben Gurion in Israel was worse than TSA. There’s some valid reason for that, but it can indeed be more intense than what TSA currently does.
I think it’s theatre too, but too many people are comforted by the theatre and believe that the more that there is, the safer that they’ll be.
The table seems to agree with you, however the text below it doesn't (at least not entirely).
After trying to decipher how they keep switching units (kg/km per passenger vs kg/mile per passenger), it seems as if the text shows .18 for long flights, .35 for average cars, .08 for long distance busses, and .19 for long distance trains (all units I put here are kg of CO2 emissions per passenger per mile).
And that doesn't take into account manufacturing or the impact of roads, but I don't necessarily think that changes the discussion at all.
I'm also not sure if those numbers are average capacity or peak capacity (planes are very often mostly full in my experience, while trains are not, and busses even less so, but that's all based on my own memory).
So I'm leaving this discussion with more questions than I started with, but my first statement was absolutely wrong!
> planes are very often mostly full in my experience, while trains are not, and busses even less so.
This is going to be very dependent on the route/times. I've flown transatlantic flights where I've had entire rows to myself (on multiple occasions). Trains are regularly running at capacity, especially on commuter lines.
Pretty sure Slackware was the first or second Linux distribution that I tried while I was still in High School in the States. I was attracted to it because it was simple and straightforward, with the packages consisting of tarballs and the distributed packages being very close to vanilla with a minimum of distro patching or customization. It was easier to build stuff on. Didn't hurt that it was relatively svelte, either. I had a terrible connection (33.6 kbps).
My thanks for all their efforts. I learned a lot about Linux from playing around (poorly) with the distro. We've come a long way since then (the 90's). Happy Anniversary!
Perhaps. Personally I use Arq with B2 for a back end, and this usually costs me less than $1/mo (their regular backup starts at $5). In addition, using B2 with something like duplicity is the better approach for backing up Linux or NAS boxes, where their official client is not supported.
They have every incentive to ensure the highest security possible. Their entire business model and most of their revenue is predicated on consumers and businesses moving not just some, but all of their data, straight over to Google's custody and control. Indeed, it damn well had better be secure.
But I think they're compromised by those same business models. Google wants to provide intelligence, and probably more important to them, marketing data. This requires that the consumer is an open book to them, and their business decisions incorporate that. Up until recently, they were actively scanning email for marketing insights. In addition, Google's operating complexity, both business and technical, increases the opportunity for failure. And their other business objectives compromise their security work. That's glaringly apparent for their Android platform. There's more surface. And in a Google world, the email account grants direct access to everything — location data, purchasing history, passwords, documents... everything.
For another dedicated email provider, what they have to protect is also simpler. There are fewer moving parts. There's less to protect, which means that there don't need to be as many engineers. That means a careful and well thought out email provider /can/ be as secure, by carefully limiting their exposure, doing one thing, and doing it well.
There's something to be said for careful application of open standards and open source software, a smaller and more responsive team, and not building a massive single point of failure. I am a current Fastmail customer, and hope to remain, depending on the outcome of this review.
Ensure that one of the first questions asked is whether or not he has a fiduciary duty to you. If he says yes, then ensure that this is part of your written agreement of services.
Once an advisor is acting as your fiduciary, it's not lawful for them to advise you to do anything but what is in your best interest. Further, they may not have any conflicts of interest. This was supposed to be the case for all US retirement accounts, but the Financial Services Industry fought tooth and nail to defeat the Obama era rule.
How will you prove they deceived you? Moreover they might not be as competent as they sound. By the time you realize the deception, you might have gone bankrupt. Only by learning the basics we can hope to protect ourselves against bad advise.
The fiduciary duty of care solves the problem of advisors having mixed or divided loyalties and motives for clients wondering about why this or that product is being recommended. The simple answer is that the advisor is legally required to act on your behalf — period. If they do not, there's full recourse in the courts.
Competence is a qualitatively different problem and has different solutions. Usually, one would look for past experience, performance, and educational credentials to gauge competence in those they hire.
I do agree that the more educated client, the better. But, personally, I can only have domain expertise in so many areas, and I only have so much time. Outsourcing is a logical strategy.
I use it all the time for typing arrows and other symbols, for example. YMMV but I also find it mnemonically better, from time to time I can just guess what the right Compose sequence is.