http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/08/crazy-90-percent-of-people-dont-know-how-to-use-ctrl-f/243840/
QuoteCrazy: 90 Percent of People Don't Know How to Use CTRL+F
This week, I talked with Dan Russell, a search anthropologist at Google, about the time he spends with random people studying how they search for stuff. One statistic blew my mind. 90 percent of people in their studies don't know how to use CTRL/Command + F to find a word in a document or web page! I probably use that trick 20 times per day and yet the vast majority of people don't use it at all.
"90 percent of the US Internet population does not know that. This is on a sample size of thousands," Russell said. "I do these field studies and I can't tell you how many hours I've sat in somebody's house as they've read through a long document trying to find the result they're looking for. At the end I'll say to them, 'Let me show one little trick here,' and very often people will say, 'I can't believe I've been wasting my life!'"
I can't believe people have been wasting their lives like this either! It makes me think that we need a new type of class in schools across the land immediately. Electronic literacy. Just like we learn to skim tables of content or look through an index or just skim chapter titles to find what we're looking for, we need to teach people about this CTRL+F thing.
Google itself is trying to teach people a little something with their AGoogleADay.com campaign, but the ability to retrieve information via a search engine is actually much bigger than the search engine itself. We're talking about the future of almost all knowledge acquisition and yet schools don't spend nearly as much time on this skill as they do on other equally important areas.
:lol:
I'm only the 2nd generation standing upright. Could you explain this a little better? :huh:
Quote from: 11B4V on August 22, 2011, 06:29:24 AM
I'm only the 2nd generation standing upright. Could you explain this a little better? :huh:
What do you mean? Explain how pushing the ctrl and F keys simultaneously gives you a search text box, or explain what a "search anthropologist" is?
QuoteWhat do you mean? Explain how pushing the ctrl and F keys simultaneously gives you a search text box, or explain what a "search anthropologist" is?
I know about the control/f thing.
I typed "Butt" into the little window and it read, "text not found". :huh:
Ah, I typed in "blumkin" and hit search, then the control+F
Dammit, I need Ctrl-F in real life.
So the solution to poorly designed user interface is training? :bleeding:
I just pound my keyboard and scream profanities.
A lot of people don't know what their emergency brake is for, either. BFD.
I believe it. It really is a shockingly little known trick. I remember back before I knew about it when I was a kid...damn that sucked, trawling through huge documents to find certain things.
Not sure why it is surprising that many people don't know keyboard shortcuts.
I am not going to learn keyboard shortcuts until they make one that allows me to erase all of tim's posts.
Quote from: PDH on August 22, 2011, 08:48:02 AM
I am not going to learn keyboard shortcuts until they make one that allows me to erase all of tim's posts.
Did you see that abortion of fan art he posted in the off topic topic? Jesus wept.
Quote from: Ed Anger on August 22, 2011, 08:49:18 AM
Quote from: PDH on August 22, 2011, 08:48:02 AM
I am not going to learn keyboard shortcuts until they make one that allows me to erase all of tim's posts.
Did you see that abortion of fan art he posted in the off topic topic? Jesus wept.
Right. That was like him saying "God Damn America!" :angry:
Quote from: Warspite on August 22, 2011, 07:20:49 AM
Dammit, I need Ctrl-F in real life.
All things eventually turn up; how long are you prepared to wait ? :cool:
Quote from: Ed Anger on August 22, 2011, 07:23:13 AM
I just pound my keyboard and scream profanities.
enough of your sex life. :rolleyes:
:P
Quote from: Ed Anger on August 22, 2011, 08:49:18 AM
Did you see that abortion of fan art he posted in the off topic topic? Jesus wept.
I did, and I read the explanation....someone deserves a cock-punch.
Well I suppose you learn something new every day. And I´ve been using computers every day since the 80ies.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on August 22, 2011, 07:24:46 AM
A lot of people don't know what their emergency brake is for, either. BFD.
It's for making that grinding noise.
People not using CTRL+F doesn't mean they don't use the find function. I've never used the keyboard shortcut, I access it from the menu.
Quote from: The Brain on August 22, 2011, 07:21:39 AM
So the solution to poorly designed user interface is training? :bleeding:
This. :contract:
We've known since at least 1984 that requiring a series of arcane keyboard commands just doesn't work well. Now I do know Ctrl-F (well, Command-F actually :cool:), and several others, but any feature that relies on command keys is going to be a fature that few people use.
As an aside, hands up by everyone who remembers those godawful keyboard layovers showing what all the F commands did in programs like WordPerfect 5.1. :bleeding:
Quote from: Ideologue on August 22, 2011, 01:16:52 PM
People not using CTRL+F doesn't mean they don't use the find function. I've never used the keyboard shortcut, I access it from the menu.
Something like that yeah but I guess that would make for a less condescending article no? :(
20 years ago knowing the appropriate keystroke shortcuts was a bit odd (hence the keyboard overlays BB talked about). Now not knowing it is considered odd.
My how times change.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 02:03:47 PM
20 years ago knowing the appropriate keystroke shortcuts was a bit odd (hence the keyboard overlays BB talked about). Now not knowing it is considered odd.
My how times change.
I'm not sure I'd highlight keyboard shortcuts as an example of how times change. Really minor when compared to things like smartphones and the like. :D
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 02:03:47 PM
20 years ago knowing the appropriate keystroke shortcuts was a bit odd (hence the keyboard overlays BB talked about). Now not knowing it is considered odd.
My how times change.
That's not what I said at all.
I think 25 years ago a lot more people know keyboard shortcuts. Now, thanks to the rise of the GUI, they're much less common. With the rise of touch interfaces maybe we can finally kill them off for good.
I didn't until someone on this board told me.
Quote from: Barrister on August 22, 2011, 02:11:54 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 02:03:47 PM
20 years ago knowing the appropriate keystroke shortcuts was a bit odd (hence the keyboard overlays BB talked about). Now not knowing it is considered odd.
My how times change.
That's not what I said at all.
I think 25 years ago a lot more people know keyboard shortcuts. Now, thanks to the rise of the GUI, they're much less common. With the rise of touch interfaces maybe we can finally kill them off for good.
You are definitely the most literal person I know.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 02:42:25 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 22, 2011, 02:11:54 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 02:03:47 PM
20 years ago knowing the appropriate keystroke shortcuts was a bit odd (hence the keyboard overlays BB talked about). Now not knowing it is considered odd.
My how times change.
That's not what I said at all.
I think 25 years ago a lot more people know keyboard shortcuts. Now, thanks to the rise of the GUI, they're much less common. With the rise of touch interfaces maybe we can finally kill them off for good.
You are definitely the most literal person I know.
:yeah: :yeah:
What I find hilarious about all these "well, duh, I just click and click and click until I find what I want, rather than using the old-dashioned keyboard shortcuts" posters is that the keyboard shortcuts are right there in the dropdown menu where they are clicking away! :lol:
It isn't that they are new-fashioned, it is that they aren't paying attention.
I never use the click-click-click method to do any common tasks on a computer, where there is a keyboard shortcut to do the same thing. ctrl + C, ctrl + v, delete key, ctrl + z, all of these are faster by far than clicking in dropdowns, and easy to remember once you start using them.
Quote from: Warspite on August 22, 2011, 07:20:49 AM
Dammit, I need Ctrl-F in real life.
What do you mean? That internet life ain't real?
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 04:59:59 PM
I never use the click-click-click method to do any common tasks on a computer, where there is a keyboard shortcut to do the same thing. ctrl + C, ctrl + v, delete key, ctrl + z, all of these are faster by far than clicking in dropdowns, and easy to remember once you start using them.
You are the poster boy for the modern Geek. Congratulations. :hug:
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 04:59:59 PM
What I find hilarious about all these "well, duh, I just click and click and click until I find what I want, rather than using the old-dashioned keyboard shortcuts" posters is that the keyboard shortcuts are right there in the dropdown menu where they are clicking away! :lol:
It isn't that they are new-fashioned, it is that they aren't paying attention.
I never use the click-click-click method to do any common tasks on a computer, where there is a keyboard shortcut to do the same thing. ctrl + C, ctrl + v, delete key, ctrl + z, all of these are faster by far than clicking in dropdowns, and easy to remember once you start using them.
I just keep the find box open all the time.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 05:13:51 PM
You are the poster boy for the modern Geek. Congratulations. :hug:
:lol: So you think efficiency is a "Geek" attribute? Good luck selling
that conceit of yours! :cool:
But, yes, thanks, I am a poster-boy for using technology tools efficiently. :smarty:
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 05:48:16 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 05:13:51 PM
You are the poster boy for the modern Geek. Congratulations. :hug:
:lol: So you think efficiency is a "Geek" attribute? Good luck selling that conceit of yours! :cool:
But, yes, thanks, I am a poster-boy for using technology tools efficiently. :smarty:
I was complimenting you on your ability (and pride) to memorize a number of key strokes. You will look good on the next issue of Modern Geek. Dont get all upset.
My mother and aunt can manage ctrl + c, ctrl + v, ctrl +x and ctrl + z after I taught those to them. I don't really think they'd qualify as "modern Geeks". :hmm:
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 22, 2011, 05:50:40 PM
I was complimenting you on your ability (and pride) to memorize a number of key strokes. You will look good on the next issue of Modern Geek. Dont get all upset.
Don't burst into tears because your little bon mot got one-upped! :lol:
Your pride in your inability to memorize a few keystrokes is probably misplaced, given that you are exposed to those keystrokes every time you click on your menus, but if you lack an ability, I won't hold it against you. You just go ahead and use what you can. Everyone else can note that the keystrokes appear in the menus themselves, and save some time by using the shortcuts the next time. The "memorization" isn't an issue for people of average mental capacity.
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 07:09:03 PM
Don't burst into tears because your little bon mot got one-upped! :lol:
Your pride in your inability to memorize a few keystrokes is probably misplaced, given that you are exposed to those keystrokes every time you click on your menus, but if you lack an ability, I won't hold it against you. You just go ahead and use what you can. Everyone else can note that the keystrokes appear in the menus themselves, and save some time by using the shortcuts the next time. The "memorization" isn't an issue for people of average mental capacity.
I don't remember when I first stumbled onto this forum from EUOT, probably 2001 or something?
Since that time I've had my varying levels of like and dislike for different posters but I can honestly say grumbler is the most worthless poster on any message board I've ever posted on ever. People like him are why we as a species went from communal living into walled off single family dwellings and why we have guns and guard dogs to keep the rest of society out.
Quote from: OttoVonBismarck on August 22, 2011, 09:36:27 PM
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 07:09:03 PM
Don't burst into tears because your little bon mot got one-upped! :lol:
Your pride in your inability to memorize a few keystrokes is probably misplaced, given that you are exposed to those keystrokes every time you click on your menus, but if you lack an ability, I won't hold it against you. You just go ahead and use what you can. Everyone else can note that the keystrokes appear in the menus themselves, and save some time by using the shortcuts the next time. The "memorization" isn't an issue for people of average mental capacity.
I don't remember when I first stumbled onto this forum from EUOT, probably 2001 or something?
Since that time I've had my varying levels of like and dislike for different posters but I can honestly say grumbler is the most worthless poster on any message board I've ever posted on ever. People like him are why we as a species went from communal living into walled off single family dwellings and why we have guns and guard dogs to keep the rest of society out.
I would disagree. Your wrong. Quit being a girl.
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2011, 06:16:05 PM
My mother and aunt can manage ctrl + c, ctrl + v, ctrl +x and ctrl + z after I taught those to them. I don't really think they'd qualify as "modern Geeks". :hmm:
I agree. Probably because they would be unlikely to proclaim how superior they are because of that fact. Something which truly sets Grumber apart.
Quote from: OttoVonBismarck on August 22, 2011, 09:36:27 PM
Since that time I've had my varying levels of like and dislike for different posters but I can honestly say grumbler is the most worthless poster on any message board I've ever posted on ever. People like him are why we as a species went from communal living into walled off single family dwellings and why we have guns and guard dogs to keep the rest of society out.
Thank you! If you, Gral, marti, and Slargos all dislike my posting, I know I am doing something very right, indeed.
Please, continue this diatribe.
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 04:59:59 PM
What I find hilarious about all these "well, duh, I just click and click and click until I find what I want, rather than using the old-dashioned keyboard shortcuts" posters is that the keyboard shortcuts are right there in the dropdown menu where they are clicking away! :lol:
It isn't that they are new-fashioned, it is that they aren't paying attention.
I never use the click-click-click method to do any common tasks on a computer, where there is a keyboard shortcut to do the same thing. ctrl + C, ctrl + v, delete key, ctrl + z, all of these are faster by far than clicking in dropdowns, and easy to remember once you start using them.
Totally fair & true, IMO.
I have ctrl+c & ctrl+v memorized because I use them all of the time, but similar to what Ide says above I didn't have ctrl+f memorized because I would just use the dropdown for "Find" on the one or two occassions a year that I needed it. As with anything & everything in Life, YMMV on just about everything. If teaching keyboard shortcuts to somebody somehow enriches their life, then great -- Power To The People & shit. If not, well, no skin off my balls...
:ccr
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 23, 2011, 11:09:34 AM
I agree. Probably because they would be unlikely to proclaim how superior they are because of that fact. Something which truly sets Grumber apart.
:lol: Where did I claim I was "superior?" I was noting how
simple it was to read and use the shortcuts.
People who can read are actually the average, not "superior" (to the average, anyway) no matter how "superior" the ability to read may look from
your perspective. :hug:
alt + print screen is convenient too
Quote from: C.C.R. on August 23, 2011, 11:45:29 AM
I have ctrl+c & ctrl+v memorized because I use them all of the time, but similar to what Ide says above I didn't have ctrl+f memorized because I would just use the dropdown for "Find" on the one or two occassions a year that I needed it. As with anything & everything in Life, YMMV on just about everything. If teaching keyboard shortcuts to somebody somehow enriches their life, then great -- Power To The People & shit.
Exactly. People will only learn the ones they use, but all you really need to do is teach people to look at the menus as they click on them, so that they will see the shortcuts for the next time they want to use that function (and, if they forget, they just, like you, use the menu again). This isn't rocket science at all.
I use CTRL + F a lot because I do a lot of research. People who do a lot of formatting probably use CTRL + T, which I don't recall ever using.
I use Ctrl-T a lot because it opens a new tab in a web browser.
I'm still trying to find the "Any" key...
:shifty:
Quote from: Barrister on August 23, 2011, 12:44:59 PM
I use Ctrl-T a lot because it opens a new tab in a web browser.
:secret: Cmd-T since you are a Mac user.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fkm.support.apple.com%2Flibrary%2FAPPLE%2FAPPLECARE_ALLGEOS%2FHT1343%2Fks_command.gif&hash=6cc33893ababc563af51253754d2177c05c3113b)+T
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on August 23, 2011, 01:06:21 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 23, 2011, 12:44:59 PM
I use Ctrl-T a lot because it opens a new tab in a web browser.
:secret: Cmd-T since you are a Mac user.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fkm.support.apple.com%2Flibrary%2FAPPLE%2FAPPLECARE_ALLGEOS%2FHT1343%2Fks_command.gif&hash=6cc33893ababc563af51253754d2177c05c3113b)+T
:rolleyes:
I already made that joke.
Plus I'm a Windows user at work. :yucky:
Quote from: grumbler on August 23, 2011, 11:49:24 AM
Where did I claim I was "superior?"
You know what I find hilarious. Its that you come across and an arrogant ass and dont even know it.
I use Ctrl-H a lot: the editor's friend.
Win+D is also a useful one.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 23, 2011, 02:09:09 PM
You know what I find hilarious. Its that you come across and an arrogant ass and dont even know it.
You know what
I find hilarious? That, when challenged, you pretend that the answer is so obvious to you (but not to others) that a non-response doesn't destroy the cred of your claim.
You make bullshit pronouncements and, when challenged to back them, follow them with bullshit pronouncements to the effect that you don't need to back up your bullshit pronouncements... and then call
others arrogant asses! :lol:
Quote from: Warspite on August 23, 2011, 03:33:49 PM
I use Ctrl-H a lot: the editor's friend.
Is there a handy listing of these sorts of tricks for those of us not as bright as Grumbler who is able to discern such things beyond the powers of mere mortals?
Quote from: grumbler on August 22, 2011, 06:36:47 AM
Quote from: 11B4V on August 22, 2011, 06:29:24 AM
I'm only the 2nd generation standing upright. Could you explain this a little better? :huh:
What do you mean? Explain how pushing the ctrl and F keys simultaneously gives you a search text box, or explain what a "search anthropologist" is?
:lol:
You are a stupid man's idiot.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 23, 2011, 03:59:05 PM
Is there a handy listing of these sorts of tricks for those of us not as bright as Grumbler who is able to discern such things beyond the powers of mere mortals?
Ironically, yes; as I pointed out in my first post in this thread, which you attacked but apparently did not read, the shortcuts are listed in the dropdown menus.
Not every possible command is implemented or implemented in the same way in every application, so you have to use the dropdowns (or read the documentation) to find out which ones are applicable. For instance, click on the edit button in your browser. You may or may not see "replace CTRL + H" listed (it isn't implemented in Firefox; CTRL + H is implemented as "history").
Like I said, this isn't rocket science. Even you should be able to figure it out, if you try hard enough and get help with the big words in my posts.
Quote from: grumbler on August 24, 2011, 07:23:27 AM
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 23, 2011, 03:59:05 PM
Is there a handy listing of these sorts of tricks for those of us not as bright as Grumbler who is able to discern such things beyond the powers of mere mortals?
Ironically, yes; as I pointed out in my first post in this thread, which you attacked but apparently did not read, the shortcuts are listed in the dropdown menus.
Not every possible command is implemented or implemented in the same way in every application, so you have to use the dropdowns (or read the documentation) to find out which ones are applicable. For instance, click on the edit button in your browser. You may or may not see "replace CTRL + H" listed (it isn't implemented in Firefox; CTRL + H is implemented as "history").
Like I said, this isn't rocket science. Even you should be able to figure it out, if you try hard enough and get help with the big words in my posts.
Based on this thread, I'm guessing that the ALT commands would blow CC's mind!
Quote from: garbon on August 24, 2011, 09:02:22 AM
Based on this thread, I'm guessing that the ALT commands would blow CC's mind!
Or CTRL + SHIFT commands! :homestar:
This thread needs a CTRL + ALT + DEL. :bleeding:
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 09:19:11 AM
This thread needs a CTRL + ALT + DEL. :bleeding:
:lol: You don't actually know what CTRL + ALT + DEL does, do you?
Try it and find out.
Quote from: grumbler on August 24, 2011, 09:23:35 AM
:lol: You don't actually know what CTRL + ALT + DEL does, do you?
Not sure what is so humorous about opening a Windows logon menu...
Quote from: Valmy on August 24, 2011, 09:25:43 AM
Not sure what is so humorous about opening a Windows logon menu...
It is the fact that DG imagines that it does something to "this thread" that is amusing.
Quote from: grumbler on August 24, 2011, 09:23:35 AM
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 09:19:11 AM
This thread needs a CTRL + ALT + DEL. :bleeding:
:lol: You don't actually know what CTRL + ALT + DEL does, do you?
Try it and find out.
You can use ctrl + alt + Delete to get to the task manager and close a program. So I can of work in a round about way.
Quote from: HVC on August 24, 2011, 09:33:44 AM
You can use ctrl + alt + Delete to get to the task manager and close a program. So I can of work in a round about way.
ALT + F, X will get you there faster. :cool:
Quote from: grumbler on August 24, 2011, 09:23:35 AM
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 09:19:11 AM
This thread needs a CTRL + ALT + DEL. :bleeding:
:lol: You don't actually know what CTRL + ALT + DEL does, do you?
Try it and find out.
You of all people should remember that once upon a time, that combination restarted your computer directly, without an intermediate screen. The result of the keystroke may have changed, but the useage in English language remained.
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 09:44:08 AM
You of all people should remember that once upon a time, that combination restarted your computer directly, without an intermediate screen. The result of the keystroke may have changed, but the useage in English language remained.
Whatever, grandpa.
Quote from: grumbler on August 24, 2011, 07:23:27 AM
Not every possible command is implemented or implemented in the same way in every application, so you have to use the dropdowns (or read the documentation) to find out which ones are applicable. For instance, click on the edit button in your browser. You may or may not see "replace CTRL + H" listed (it isn't implemented in Firefox; CTRL + H is implemented as "history").
I will ignore the arrogant parts of you post - its the only way really. And thank you for the helpful part.
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 09:44:08 AM
Quote from: grumbler on August 24, 2011, 09:23:35 AM
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 09:19:11 AM
This thread needs a CTRL + ALT + DEL. :bleeding:
:lol: You don't actually know what CTRL + ALT + DEL does, do you?
Try it and find out.
You of all people should remember that once upon a time, that combination restarted your computer directly, without an intermediate screen. The result of the keystroke may have changed, but the useage in English language remained.
I have doubts about how deep that usage penetrated and how lasting it will really be given that it no longer plays such a role.
Sounds more like nerdspeak - an xckd worthy comic.
It still plays such a role to an extent. If your program freezes up, what do you press?
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 11:56:14 AM
It still plays such a role to an extent. If your program freezes up, what do you press?
There are many other reasons to press that combination now (a menu screen with many options pops up)*. And besides made programs when frozen - if you click the x at the top or right click on the program's entry in the taskbar - pop up with that menu asking you if you'd like to force the frozen program to shut down.
*I've even seen some setups where you have to push that sequence to get the login screen to show up.
Quote from: DGuller on August 24, 2011, 11:56:14 AM
It still plays such a role to an extent. If your program freezes up, what do you press?
I just hit the key board with my fists. Then the CPU. Then myself. Something eventually restarts.