Why is there an Eject Button on the MBA?

[hwu182]

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[Fuchal]

I've been accustomed to pressing the volume up button as the second to last key in the top row, but with the new MBA, there is an eject button replacing it. Why is there even an eject button if there is no built in CD Drive. Yes, some ppl use the superdrive, but i dont see how the rest of us need that button. Apple is trying to emphasize the lack of importance of the CD Drive itself, so why are they still adding this nonessential key?

I do the same thing, and I'm not sure why it's there either.

 

[Zackmd1]

I do the same thing, and I'm not sure why it's there either.

Same here! I'm trying to find a way to remap it for use to eject usb drives. Any help would be nice!

 

[The Toddfather]

The reason it's there is to eject cd's if you are using the superdrive.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

my guess is it is due to the fact that the parts are more than likely shared across multiple models. Apple is just re using the parts. They were not going to make a custom keyboard just for one computer.
The other reason is that key more than likely has the same keycode so the OS would see it as eject no matter what they put there. That would require a very differently wired keyboard. The eject key location is more than likely sends the same keycode to the OS no matter what on every keyboard no matter what computer ans OS it is. means it is eject to every computer.

 

[hwu182]

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[The Toddfather]

But that's if, and IF is a big word here. Although I dont know exact numbers, very few ppl I know that own a MBA have the superdrive. Most people have an iMac or MBP at home, to which using remote disc is more convenient.

Besides, why not just place a little eject button at the top menu bar next to the time. That makes it much more efficient for people THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A SUPERDRIVE. Just my suggestion to Apple haha.

Your original question asked why it's there, it's there to eject for the superdrive.

 

[jakespeed]

There are times when you can not use your mouse to eject a disk. For example if your system disk is corrupted. If you have a disk in the drive hitting the eject button when the system boots is the ONLY way your going to get it out. MBA is my only mac so i would hate to track down a friends computer just to eject a disk if i have a crashed drive.

 

[Over Achiever]

Since the superdrive is external, why can't there be a button on the superdrive itself?

 

[admanimal]

There are keyboard shortcuts that use the Eject key and have nothing to do with any kind of external drive or whatever. For example, Control-Eject brings up the Shut Down/Sleep/Restart dialog, and Command-Option-Eject puts the computer to sleep immediately.

The Eject key exists on the MBAs so that these shortcuts still work.

 

[gianly1985]

1) keyboard shortcuts

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343

edit: admanimal already mentioned the shortcuts while I was writing the post

2) external superdrive (people, really? ........really? just because some noob cannot bear seeing that supposedly useless key, Apple should break input/commands consistency e make the external Superdrive eject by another method unlike every other Mac? Some people don't get what Macs are about)

 

[Rodimus Prime]

You make a few excellent points. But that managed to remake the key letterings for the iTunes controls and the Volume control and the new power key, so why not just make a quick modification with the eject ubtton as well, perhaps getting rid of it altogether? Considering their brilliant engineers, rerouting the iTunes controls and the audio controls and power controls should be the same as rerouting/removing the eject button.

But remaking the lettering is easy and cheap. But changing the wiring diagraim not so easy. It is not something you can just do with software. They keyboard sends the exact same keycode no matter what key is pressed.
For example the backspace sends a keycode of 8. It does not matter what keyboard it is on backspaces ALWAYS sends 8 to the computer. From their you have the standard layout and the OS handles it. On yeah and the keyevent for backspace really is 8. I been spending a lot of time programing something in java and i needed that for a few things. Enter is 10.

They controller chip is always the same and that can not easily be changed.

 

[Scottsdale]

The reason it's there is to eject cd's if you are using the superdrive.

Seemed pretty obvious to me also... I guess people that haven't used external optical drives wouldn't think of it???

 

[ImperialX]

I still think the eject button should be put on the SuperDrive itself.

 

[zedsdead]

Seemed pretty obvious to me also... I guess people that haven't used external optical drives wouldn't think of it???

That is the reason, but the placement is SO annoying coming from every other Mac keyboard for the past several years. Like many others, I keep screwing up the volume buttons.

I would rather them remove the eject button (since you can just eject via the desktop or finder), and bring back the Back-Lit keyboard (which needs F5 and 6).

 

[koobcamuk]

I still think the eject button should be put on the SuperDrive itself.

It wouldn't look very nice, would it?

I rarely use any of the function keys, but as they are part of a keyboard, they don't stand out to me.

 

[netdog]

I can't believe that someone actually asked this question.

 

[Jayomat]

It wouldn't look very nice, would it?

I rarely use any of the function keys, but as they are part of a keyboard, they don't stand out to me.

How do you turn up/down volume/brightness ?? Mute??

 

[koobcamuk]

How do you turn up/down volume/brightness ?? Mute??

I said I rarely use them.

I rarely adjust the volume on my mac, and I rarely adjust the brightness either. My iPad is for media consumption and radio... my mac is for work. It's also plugged into an external monitor most of the time.

 

[Jayomat]

I said I rarely use them.

I rarely adjust the volume on my mac, and I rarely adjust the brightness either. My iPad is for media consumption and radio... my mac is for work. It's also plugged into an external monitor most of the time.

fair enough

 

[ImperialX]

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I can't believe that someone actually asked this question.

Why not? I don't see a need for it.

 

[colourfastt]

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Why not? I don't see a need for it.

It's quite useful for me when I'm installing software from the external superdrive.

 

[fizzwinkus]

i remapped my eject key to switch to the login screen.

 

[Slix]

Why is there an eject button at all when you can drag a drive to the trash, right click on it, or press the eject button in the Finder to Eject it?

Regardless, there's other uses for the button.

 

[SamTheeGeek]

I was wondering why today too, but i think its because apple does sell an optional optical drive that you can connect via usb so yea i guess thats why.