For some time I've been interested in binding the Windows Key (Super_L) on my keyboard to Copy and Paste for no other reason but convenience and consistency between my desktop and my MacBook.

I thought that I was close after reading about xmodmap and executing the following:

$ # re-map Super_L to Mode_switch, the 3rd col in keymap table `xmodmap -pke`
$ xmodmap -e "keycode  133 = Mode_switch"

$ # map Mode_switch+c to copy
$ xmodmap -e "keycode  54 = c C XF86_Copy C"

$ # map Mode_switch+v to paste
$ xmodmap -e "keycode  55 = v V XF86_Paste V"

Unfortunately, XF86Copy and XF86Paste don't seem to work, at all. They are listed in /usr/include/X11/XF86keysym.h and xev shows that the key sequence is being interpreted by X as XF86Paste and XF86Copy, do these symbols actually work? Do they have to have application level support?