F Lock Key Info
An interesting take on the challenging new functions of the F1-F12 keys (Sav, Print blablabla), added in Microsoft Natural Keyboards and its clones. By default, each time the computer goes on, the new functions are on and home users are troubled - they are told to press F1 for help, but the help never appears.
The F key, which toggles between old and new meanings of the F1-F12 keys, is a hardware switch and it cannot be accessed programatically. But you may alter the "enhanced" function keys in order to make them send the old known message to Windows. This may be done in Windows since 2000 and links to helper software and pre-made settings’ files can be found on Jason Tsang’s article
, found via Bertrand Le Roy’s blog.
On a footnote I’ll add that Linux desktops need such tools.