Terminal app on Mac OS X - normal keys

Solution 1:

You have two issues here:

• On your Mac, like on most laptops, the function key row is used for both regular F keys and special hardware or system functionality. One of these is invoked while you hold down Fn, the other while you don't. Open System Preferences » Keyboard » Keyboard and change Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.

This is the issue you're currently facing: Pressing F10 doesn't actually press F10

But even if you change the above preference, chances are some F keys are already used for other functions:

• Even when you've done that, OS X might use F keys for system-wide keyboard shortcuts. In the same preference pane, change over to Keyboard Shortcuts, and check the Dashboard & Dock and Exposé & Spaces categories. Disable or change any F key shortcuts. Alternatively, you can open the Exposé & Spaces preference pane in System Preferences to change the shortcuts there (with more options).

Also, you should take a look at this answer of mine in a related topic. You might like having Exposé and Dashboard bound to those function keys, after all.

To use some F keys without pressing Fn, while using others with pressing Fn (and using their special functions without Fn), use FunctionFlip.

Solution 2:

To have F-keys available you'd have to disable the system wide shortcuts assigned to them. You can do that in System Preferences.

To be able to use a mouse I think you'd have to use some other terminal application. For example iTerm supports a mouse.

Solution 3:

I'm a linux user and never use F10 to exit for an application. I also use the standard terminal on Mac and for exit any terminal app i use q. It works with 'top' in my Mac and with htop at last in my linux box.