They should have just kept the F-keys and provide a system level option to neuter the touchbar as just a modern day reference card for the keys. It's not like the wrist rest isn't big enough to sacrifice for more room up top.

Agreed. F Keys + additional touchbar would have actually been useful.

The lack of a physical escape key galls me the most.

I remapped caps lock to esc.

I remapped esc to caps lock (physically) on day one. 6 months later, I'm still mentally re-mapping it occasionally.

Emacs users remap caps lock to escape lock!

Isn't the Touch ID sensor a "physical power key"?

> Why not physical escape and power keys at the ends?

Courage.