Apple MacBook Touch Bar

In 2016-10-27 Apple introduced the touch bar, a touch-sensitive display strip that function as software keyboard.

The misery, the trying to be Steve Jobs.

No more function keys, and no more Escape key.

Apple Commercials on Touchbar

Apple MacBook Touchbar, Life Will be Difficult

2019-01-27 It's 2 years after the debut of the touchbar, and nobody likes it, even diehard Apple fans.

For programers or serious gamers, life will be more difficult.

For vim users, you'll need to set the CapsLock to do Escape. You should, anyway. 〔see Programer Hand Health: vi Esc Key Syndrome〕

Some vimmers suggest using Ctrl+[. No. That's not better, if not worse. You shift the Escape wrist problem to the pinky problem. Two pinkies to be exact, one Control for your left pinky, and one square bracket for your right pinky for the balance of pain.

And now, with the touch bar, you'll have to keep your head down to watch it. It's a watch'n'touch bar.

and, fat finger syndrome just walked from your iPhone to your MacBook.

the page up/down keys dropped dead, and now function keys are touchy.

will it spell the end of function keys across board? Probably not. Not for at least few years i think. For this to happen to PC, it needs Microsoft Windows to cooperate, and Microsoft isn't in the business of innovating PCs. Oh wait, maybe Microsoft Surface, but that's nothing but a giant touch square.

Steve Jobs hated function keys. They are not on the NeXT keyboard. But this touch bar idea is probably not his legacy. See NeXT Keyboard.

see also Evolution of Laptop Keyboard

Norton Commander on Touch Bar

Anime Nyanpasu Disco on Touch Bar

MacBook 2020, Touch Square

here it is, the touch square!

• Microsoft Surface Pro