Yes it is for real.
You have to make the Mix Console “active” in order to use any key commands associated to it.
So that means if you are working on the project page and want to use the key command to expand the inserts on the mix console, you have to click on the mixer window, WITH THE MOUSE, in order to execute the key command, even though you have a shortcut key on your MC Control that says “expand inserts”.
We need a key command to activate the window, so we can program macros and not have to click with mouse.