Fn key inversion on new lenovo

[Klaatu]

On 03/06/2015 11:41 AM, Neal Becker wrote:
> T.C. Hollingsworth wrote:
> 
>> On Thu, Mar 5, 2015 at 2:45 PM, Neal Becker <ndbecker2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Just got new lenovo X1 carbon.  So far everything is working well, but
>>> one issue with the keyboard.
>>>
>>> Hitting Alt-F2 does not give 'run command'.  Instead, Fn-Alt-F2 does.  In
>>> fact, inspecting (using emacs), it seems every one of the function keys
>>> acts
>>> as if the Fn key state is inverted.  E.g., without holding Fn, hitting F2
>>> lowers the volume, which is what is suppose to happen if you hold Fn, and
>>> emacs reports indicate the same.
>>>
>>> Any hints how to fix?  I did not do anything special with the keyboard,
>>> other than (with kde settings) swapping ctrl-capslock.
>>
>> Lenovo, like many computer manufacturers these days, figures people
>> use the volume button more than those wacky F-keys.  Which is probably
>> true for most of their customers, but not anyone on this list.  :-)
>>
>> There is usually an option in the firmware/BIOS to turn this off.
>>
>> -T.C.
> 
> Turns out, you can toggle by pressing esc + Fn.  Go figure!
> 
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This is a post-solution thread hijack, and probably off-topic for this
list, but I go forth bravely:

Not having grown up on an OS that champions Function keys, I have to
ask... what is their appeal? To me, they seem totally mysterious,
utterly devoid of mnemonic cues, and extraneous. I remap everything in
KDE to super + [some key that makes sense].

Anyone care to deliver the gospel of Function keys to me? or is it just
force of habit?

-klaatu