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paul_hyesterday at 8:07 PM3 repliesview on HN

Nobody cares perhaps, but F5 as a refresh key came in the mid 80s (I was told it was a $1m of usability consulting). The midrange AS/400 got [CUA](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/3.1.0?topic=actions-default-...) first. There were many more F1 for help, F12 for go-back-a-page, F3 for big-exit of app. Green screen stuff (3270 and 5250 where two common wire/frame protocols). The same keys made the jump to some windows apps. One by one they got whittled away until F5 for refresh was left. For that one it wasn't just Windows - as browser rollout took it wider. Has it gone yet? I'm on a Chromebook and it doesn't have F keys so I can't see for myself.


Replies

couttoday at 11:27 AM

What? F3 should be help and F7 is exit. That's what the WP keyboard template says and I'm sticking to it.

dcminteryesterday at 8:30 PM

F1 still launches Help in some apps. I don't think I've ever done it on purpose...

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jamesfinlaysontoday at 1:42 AM

On a Mac I have no idea what, if anything F5 does in Chrome. Refresh is the much more annoying Cmd+r.