I wish it was more like Windows
 

There...now that I have your attention.....

I don't really want it more like Windows, but I would like one piece of Windows functionality:

When I'm in the Finder and I select a file or folder and hit the Delete key, I want it to go to the Trash. Does anyone know how to recreate this functionality on the Mac?

Thanks for your help!
-Eric

apple + delete!

(by that I mean the apple key and the backspace key)

Thanks, but since I use a Windows box all day at work, I'm used to simply hitting the Delete key (not Backspace, and no modifier keys). Any way to configure OS X to do this? Thanks!!!

you could make a hotkey out of that combination. make it like F4 or whatever does that.

QuicKeys
...............

You can place a Delete button in the toolbar that shows at the top of each Finder window. Open a window in the Finder and go to View > Customize Toolbar... You can then delete selected items with a mouse click (which isn't the same a key, but it's another option).

Most of the time, I'm deleting things off the desktop (which I know is just another directory) but usually I don't have any Finder windows open. Good idea though.

I always thought it was stupid that Apple merged the Delete and Backspace keys, since they're supposed to have different functions.

That's the first I've heard of this.
And note that on Windows the "Del" key does a forward-delete.

Try this when looking at the Desktop:
Press the A key, then release
Now imagine what would happen if pressing the Delete key (with no modifiers) would trash the selected file.
Don't you think that is something that might happen by accident - and that you might not notice that the file got trashed?

The forward-delete key (the one that isn't a backspace key) historically didn't have a function on the Mac. Throughout Apple history the full extended keyboard has only been one option, and there have always been lots of Mac users with abbreviated / simpler keyboards that didn't have a forward-delete key.

Just about the time that the last of the old ADB Standard keyboards were falling into obscurity, the iMac made its debut with another small keyboard, this time USB but again lacking the seldom-used (on the Mac) forward-delete key.

Programmers aren't going to stick functions onto a key that only some folks have on their keyboards, be they OS programmers or application programmers.

It's not just forward-delete; all of the six keys above the inverted-T arrow keys (ins/help, home, end, forward-delete, page up, and page down) have been marginalized in that way (some more than others). It's also still pretty rare for any serious functions to be mapped to the F-keys (unless they have an alternative mapping to some other key) — although it's been awhile since Macs didn't have F-keys on their keyboards, they didn't have them originally (look again at that Standard ADB keyboard)

Windows:
Backspace in text deletes previous character.
Backspace in the GUI file system goes up one directory level.
Del in text deletes next character.
Del in the GUI file system moves the selected file/folder to Recycle Bin.

Mac:
Delete in text deletes previous character.
Delete in the GUI file system doesn't do anything, and there is no Backspace key, so...
Command-Up Arrow in the GUI file system goes up one directory level.
Command-Delete in the GUI file system moves the selected file/folder to Trash.

In apps where Backspace and Del represent different shortcuts, the Mac version can be clumsier because Mac uses Delete and Backspace as the same key. I sometimes run into problems with Virtual PC because I have to remember that the Mac is short one key in this way, and have to use a modifier to access actual Delete key functionality on the Mac.

As I have pointed out above, I think this is a Good Thing as it avoids accidental trashing of files. Note that on Windows, by default it puts up a dialog asking you to confirm each and every time you use the Del key to move something to the Recycle Bin.

I think you meant to say that there is no forward-delete key. But as AHunter3 has pointed out, there is in fact such a key on some Apple keyboards. And on others (such as the iBook keyboard I am typing on now), you hold down the "Fn" key to make the "Delete" key do a forward-delete.

And as you have pointed out, the Delete key on Apple keyboards is the same as the Backspace key - if you like just imagine that it is labeled "delete/backspace".

Think of it as reciprocity for all those PC keyboards that have "Enter" printed on both the Return key and the true Enter key.

(I'm a FileMaker geek and I can't believe how often I have to explain to Windows users about the "other Enter key" and why putting a hard return in a text field is a very different thing from hitting Enter and committing the record or performing the Find.... sigh...)

No, I meant there is no Mac key labeled Backspace that has a function separate from the Mac key labeled Delete.

I can see we are in Personal Preference Land again, and that's OK. I like more keys that allow more options. Now that AHunter3 mentions it, I also enjoy having the Return key that is different from the Enter key. Return allows me (in properly coded apps) to enter a new line of text in dialog box text fields without accidentally closing the dialog box, but if I want to close the dialog box I hit Enter in those apps.

Well, sorry to keep flogging a dead horse, but it seems obvious that there would be no such key since there is no difference between the functions.

Delete (on Mac): deletes the character before the cursor
Backspace (hypothetical): deletes the character before the cursor

you forgot "...within the specific context of text editing."
OK that's my last post on it! :D

OK, now I'm confused.
My Power Mac with bluetooth keyboard has a Delete key that deletes characters to the right of the cursor. The <-- (backspace) key delete the character to the left of the cursor.
I have an Apple keyboard with both buttons and they have the same text editing functionality as any Windows/Unix keyboard I've ever used.

Shawn

Thanks hayne! I didn't know that "fn"/delete forward-deleted. that makes my life a whole lot easier. wish i knew something to help you guys out.

just for grins

why not just use a usb PC keyboard. I mean that way you can add in your back space and delete functions with a hotkey app.

Like go buy a logitec keyboard or something. Infact, I have a few usb keyboards here at work that are dual platform. They have all the standard 101 keys that a US PC keyboard has, and at the bottom of the keys are the apple keys. It will say alt, and have the apple symbol on it as well. However its definately a PC keyboard.

I hope it doesn't have the Apple symbol on the "alt" key!
The "alt" key is the "option" key.

Note also that use of the special startup keys (e.g. Command(Apple) + S for single-user mode) may not work on anything other than Apple keyboards.

I think that if one is truly h4r|) k0r3 (translation from l337: hard core), one should consider buying one of the gaming keyboards that has, like, a bajillion buttons and allows you to map whatever function you want to them. People who want options should just be tickled to death by these! And if you like customizability, well, you don't have a choice anyway because the keys are all screwy! It would be great! ...yeah, need to get some sleep.

If you are really hardcore

http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

Hmm... so instead of 'Shift-home', I hit 'Apple-shift-left arrow' - and instead of 'delete' I hit 'Apple-delete', but wait, don't hit the 'delete' key on the right, you have to hit the delete key on the left.

Wow! Thats so much more self-explanatory and intuitive than a pc!!

And in Mac OSX 10.5.1.4.12.3, instead of hitting 'a', you will now have to hit 'Apple-shift-a-down arrow' while sitting on your right hand and winking with your left eye.

heh - I'm just teasing Mac fanboys - I've only just started using a Mac, and I do quite like it. Especially that there are no craptastic implementations like a REGISTRY which gets cluttered and slows down your machine, and.... sorry, I'm rambling.....

figz,
man I had to laugh to read the title of your post.
Turns out there are a lot of migrators from windows right now.

I am willing to learn to adapt as much as possible. But I would love to crack open the keyboard mapping. I wonder how much of it is exposed, and how much is compiled?

I LOVE the eject key!

I mean I know we can screw with keyboard shortcuts in the pref pane. But even that functionality is limited. It lets you launch stuff, which is cool. But I want to empty the bit bucket (trash) with a key press.

Wait til you try opition-clicking the close button (or the minimize button) with a bunch of windows open either in the Finder, or any other application. Next, try doing the same thing while holding down the shift key!

I used Automator to create a little tool that just does a Move to Trash on any selected file(s) and then used FruitMenu to add it to my right-click context menu. I find it quicker than the old Windows hitting delete (my missing of which is why I did this in the first place) since my hand is already on the mouse to select my victim(s).

Odd...my CM already has "Move to Trash". And although I too am a FruitMenu user, I don't recall doing anything special to put that CM item there, I thought it was always there. (And on investigation, my FruitMenu CM list doesn't include it, so it's not there via FruitMenu)

I don't use FruitMenu, and I have it too. I think it's been there for a long time. I don't remember when I first saw it, but I'm pretty sure it was years ago. It's just one of many 'short cuts' that I've never gotten in the habit of using.