I learned Ctrl-C for "kill program" very nearly before Ctrl-C for copy existed, and long before it existed on any platform I used. I value consistency, but I also value consistency with common practice for the type of application I'm using.

The common failure mode, for me, isn't hitting Ctrl-C for copy in a terminal by mistake, it's hitting Ctrl-Shift-C for copy in a browser and ending up with the console open, or hitting Ctrl-W to delete a word and having it close a tab.

▲

Svip 6 days ago | parent | next [-]

Kind of wish Firefox allowed one to modify the common keyboard shortcuts in the browser. But considering the open issue on the matter, I won't keep my hopes up: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=57805

The hacks about seems to be basically steal keyboard shortcuts the same way webpages already do; either through an extension[0] or modifying config-pref.js[1]. Neither of which seems very appealing to me. Though, funnily: I did hit Ctrl-W writing this message to delete a word; thank goodness for cache.

[0] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/shortkeys/

[1] https://old.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/kilmm2/restore_ctr...

▲

Galanwe 6 days ago | parent | prev [-]

This drives me nuts as well, the number of times I close a tab with C-W, or select all with C-A...

My brain can "switch mode" when on a regular web page, but if I open some kind of "terminal in a page" (i.e. I the AWS console), then I'm 100% it will end up with a C-W.

▲

JoshTriplett 6 days ago | parent | next [-]

For me, it happens most often when I have a call open in a browser in one window, and a terminal open on the other half of the screen taking notes, and then switch to the call and start typing something in the chat.

▲

koiueo 6 days ago | parent [-]

I'd say Ctrl+W is just a terrible shortcut for closing a tab.

It's right near Ctrl+Q, which usually quits an application.

While Q is mnemonic, W is not.

It's too ergonomic and requires very little wrist movement for such a destructive action.

I understand your pain, but I blame the author of this weird convention for the "close tab" action, whoever they are

	▲	oniony 5 days ago \| parent [-]
		I think it came from the close window shortcut on Windows back when browsers didn't have tabs.

▲

nyarlathotep_ 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

> This drives me nuts as well, the number of times I close a tab with C-W, or select all with C-A...

I've lost countless SessionManager terminal sessions this way on Windows and Linux.