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diff --git a/2026-05-17.txt b/2026-05-17.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7eec5b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/2026-05-17.txt @@ -0,0 +1,60 @@ +What an unluckly day! After breakfast, I accidentally spilled over half +a cup of water, and some of it went onto my MacBook. I immediately +grabbed some tissues and tried my best to reduce the chance of the water +continuing to seep inside. After drying the surface, I wanted to tear +down the MacBook and clean the internals if necessary. + +I already had a pentalobe screwdriver, but I still couldn't open the +back lid because I didn't have the proper suction tool. To prevent +further damage, I gave up disassembling the device and tried to make an +appointment with the Genius Bar. Unfortunately, the earliest appointment +was 3 days away. I couldn't wait that long, and the device probably +couldn't either. + +I continued using tissues to absorb water from the gaps between the +keys. Then I realized: why not remove the keycaps from the keyboard? So +I removed around 13 of them. There actually wasn't much water under the +keys, and after checking that everything was still working properly, I +finally felt relieved. + +But then another problem came up. + +I thought removing and reinstalling keycaps would be easy and +intuitive—just pull them out and push them back in. I was completely +wrong. The keys got stuck and would not pop back up. After serveral +failed attempts, I checked YouTube and started doing some research. + +It turned out to be a scissor-switch keyboard, and there is actually a +proper way to remove and install keycaps without damaging them. To +remove a keycap, you have to press the top of the key with your finger, +then use a thin hard plastic tool or paper card to gently lift the key +from the bottom gap. Once you hear a clicking sound, slide the keycap +downward and it should come off safely. + +To install the keycap, you reverse the process. First slide it +upward from the bottom, then press the bottom-left and bottom-right +corners until you hear another clicking sound. The key should work +normally again afterward. I recommend watching some YouTube videos +because they explain the process much more clearly step by step. + +While reinstalling the keys, I discovered that some of them had already +been permenantly damaged by my earlier naive attempts. There are two +tiny plastic claws on the back of each keycap, and they break very +easily if the keys is installed/removed incorrectly. + +In the end, I had to order a replacement set of keycaps from Taobao, +which cost me around 35 CNY. I am not sure whether the quality will be +as good as the original ones, and I still need to wait two days for the +package to arrive. Hopefully everything turns out fine. + +There was also an intersting finding. One of the damaged key was the +Delete key. I didn't know that the shortcut ctrl+h has the same function +as the Delete key on macOS. Since I had already remapped the Caps Lock +to Control earlier, using ctrl+h to delete a character actually feels +much more convenient than reaching for the "far away" Delete key, I may +start using this shortcut instead. + +Apple also has an article listing many useful keyboard shortcuts: + +Mac keyboard shortcuts +https://support.apple.com/en-us/102650 |