On keyboard design philosophy: Split shifts and backspace.

[ideus]

ANSI layout has 2.25u and 2.75u shift keys and 2u backspace; while ISO has 1.25u left shift. Some designs of commercial boards like the 1800 Cherry series feature a 1.75u right shift.

In other popular layouts like the HHKB the right shift is splitted in order to allow a function key next to it, this scheme also propose to move the backspace down its corner position just above the enter key.

There are ardent defenders of splitted keys and it is a never ending discussion about its advantages over full size keys; however, few of us has explained with facts and some data why do we prefer one or the other.

In the interest of keyboard philosophy you may want to share your own experience here, mainly based on those transition periods when you choose to move apart of full size keys.

[davkol]

In the interest of keyboard philosophy you may want to share your own experience here, mainly based on those transition periods when you choose to move apart of full size keys.

Are there any?

I used to ***** about small left Shift on ISO, just like a whole bunch of people, but it was just a symptom of a different problem: I had my hands anchored in one spot and let my wrists do all the work. That was fixed by relearning to touch type from scratch, with floating hands.

The extra key has quite a few advantages in practice:

• another symbol to fit on the primary layer (in case of national layouts)
• another potential modifier (e.g., Neo M4)… or I use it as a dead key for diacritic marks
• the option to shift ZXCVB one column to the left, thus make the layout more symmetrical

Although, there's another concern, that affects mainly thinkpad keyboards—some people complain, that they can't press Ctrl and ISO left Shift with one finger. I imagine the same would be an issue on HHKB-like split right Shift.

[e_l_tang]

All 1u is the way to go. See my layout here: http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#%23@@_a:7%3B&=Esc&=F1&=F2&=F3&=F4&=F5&=F6&=F7&=F8&=F9&=F10&=%3B&@=&=F11&=F12&=F13&=F14&=F15&=F16&=F17&=F18&=F19&=F20&=%3B&@=&=&=Pg%20Up&=Home&=Insert&=&=&=&=%2F&uarr%2F%3B&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=Pg%20Dn&=End&=Delete&=&=&=%2F&larr%2F%3B&=%2F&darr%2F%3B&=%2F&rarr%2F%3B&=&=%3B&@=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@_y:0.5&a:5%3B&=%60%0A!&=%23%0A7&=(%0A5&=)%0A3&=%22%0A1&=%25%0A9&=%2F_%0A0&=%5E%0A2&=$%0A4&=%2F@%0A6&=*%0A8&=+%0A%2F=%3B&@=%7C%0A%5C&=%2F:%0A%3F&=%7B%0A,&=%7D%0A.&_a:7%3B&=P&=Y&=F&=G&=C&=R&=L&_a:5%3B&=%2F&%0A%2F%2F%3B&@_a:7%3B&=Caps%20Lock&=A&=O&=E&=U&=I&=D&=H&=T&=N&=S&_a:5%3B&=~%0A-%3B&@=Cmd%0ARaise%20Lock&=%2F%3B%0A'&_a:7%3B&=Q&=J&=K&=X&=B&=M&=W&=V&=Z&_a:5%3B&=Cmd%0ALower%20Lock%3B&@=%3C%0A%5B&_a:7%3B&=Control&=Option&=Shift&=Space&=Tab&=Enter&=Bksp&=Shift&=Option&=Control&_a:5%3B&=%3E%0A%5D%3B&@_y:0.5&a:7%3B&=&=&=Clear&=%2F=&=%2F%2F&=*&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=9&=8&=7&=-&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=6&=5&=4&=+&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=3&=2&=1&=Enter&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=.&=&=0&=Tab&=&=&=Shift&=&=&=.

Edit: The link above is broken. Now for my layout: http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/##@@_a:7%3B&=Esc&=F1&=F2&=F3&=F4&=F5&=F6&=F7&=F8&=F9&=F10&=%3B&@=&=F11&=F12&=F13&=F14&=F15&=F16&=F17&=F18&=F19&=F20&=%3B&@=&=&=Pg%20Up&=Home&=Insert&=&=&=&=%2F&uarr%2F%3B&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=Pg%20Dn&=End&=Delete&=&=&=%2F&larr%2F%3B&=%2F&darr%2F%3B&=%2F&rarr%2F%3B&=&=%3B&@=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@_y:0.5&a:5%3B&=%60%0A!&=%23%0A7&=(%0A5&=)%0A3&=%22%0A1&=%25%0A9&=%2F_%0A0&=%5E%0A2&=$%0A4&=%2F@%0A6&=*%0A8&=+%0A%2F=%3B&@=%7C%0A%5C&=%2F:%0A%3F&=%7B%0A,&=%7D%0A.&_a:7%3B&=P&=Y&=F&=G&=C&=R&=L&_a:5%3B&=%2F&%0A%2F%2F%3B&@_a:7%3B&=Caps%20Lock&=A&=O&=E&=U&=I&=D&=H&=T&=N&=S&_a:5%3B&=~%0A-%3B&@=Cmd%0ARaise%20Lock&=%2F%3B%0A'&_a:7%3B&=Q&=J&=K&=X&=B&=M&=W&=V&=Z&_a:5%3B&=Cmd%0ALower%20Lock%3B&@=%3C%0A%5B&_a:7%3B&=Control&=Option&=Shift&=Space&=Tab&=Enter&=Bksp&=Shift&=Option&=Control&_a:5%3B&=%3E%0A%5D%3B&@_y:0.5&a:7%3B&=&=&=Clear&=%2F=&=%2F%2F&=*&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=9&=8&=7&=-&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=6&=5&=4&=+&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=3&=2&=1&=Enter&=&=&=&=&=&=%3B&@=&=&=.&=&=0&=Tab&=&=&=Shift&=&=&=.

[ideus]

Eric: It would be better to post a picture of the layout, the link you posted returns nothing.

[jdcarpe]

I can't abide that small ISO left shift. But splitting the right shift and backspace are the ONLY way to go for 60%. Having the backspace above the enter key just makes so much more sense.

For TKL or full size, I prefer standard ANSI, but I will only use the HHKB layout for all my 60% keyboards.

[e_l_tang]

Eric: It would be better to post a picture of the layout, the link you posted returns nothing.

I fixed it. Thanks for the heads up.

[Hypersphere]

My preferred layout is that of the HHKB Pro 2. Everything about it makes sense to me, including the Backspace directly above Enter, Left Control to the left of the "A" key, and the split Right Shift with the Fn key to the right of the Right Shift.

After experimenting with various layouts, I found that I certainly do not need a full-size Right Shift, but I need something longer than 1-unit. The 1.75-unit Right Shift is fine. If necessary, I would also be fine with a shorter Left Shift -- I almost never use the Left Shift in my normal typing.

[jacobolus]

The position of ISO left shift is terrible. ANSI/ISO both have terrible right shift. JIS right shift is comically absurd.

Furthermore, no key except possibly the spacebar should ever be wider than 1.5u. The ANSI right shift’s 2.75u width (let alone the WANG/Kingsaver 3u right shift) is some kind of joke.

Putting shift directly to the sides of the pinkies (where ; and caps lock are, respectively on an ANSI/ISO keyboard) is really nice. Shift on thumb keys is also pretty nice. Shift next to the home position for the index fingers (where G/H is in QWERTY) takes moving all the letters around, but is also pretty good.

My “standard-ish” QWERTY proposal (for folks unwilling to use a split column-staggered keyboard):


Implementing a strike-style instead of hold-style shift also can advantageous for both comfort and speed. That is, pressing and releasing shift and then pressing a letter will capitalize it, instead of needing to hold down the shift key through the letter key press. Alternately, another reasonable idea is a “post-letter modifier shift”, where you first type a letter, and then press the shift key to toggle its capitalization. Or even type a whole word, and then repeatedly press the shift key to cycle capitalization (lowercase, first letter cap, all caps) on the whole word.

[PieterGen]

Implementing a strike-style instead of hold-style shift also can advantageous for both comfort and speed. That is, pressing and releasing shift and then pressing a letter will capitalize it, instead of needing to hold down the shift key through the letter key press.

For those who did not know: this possibility is built in Windows (google for 'sticky keys + Windows'). A further improvement is what many smartphones do: press "period" and you get period + space + next letter capitalized. You could program this on a PC as well, using AutoHotKey (for Windows) of Autokey (for Linux). I'm not familiar with OSX, but I'm sure there is an OSX solution as well.

Alternately, another reasonable idea is a “post-letter modifier shift”, where you first type a letter, and then press the shift key to toggle its capitalization. Or even type a whole word, and then repeatedly press the shift key to cycle capitalization (lowercase, first letter cap, all caps) on the whole word.

Hey, nice. This reminds me of the so called "compose key" from a user of the AdNW Layout (see the Adnw Google Group). He programmed an Autohotkey sequence, which does something like:
e  followed by compose key -> é
e  followed by 2 times compose key -> è
e  followed by 3 times compose key -> ê
e  followed by 4 times compose key -> ë
e  followed by 5 times compose key -> È

and so on.

Advantages:
- you only need 1 key for all special signs
- it feels natural to *first* type the letter and *then* the accent

[azhdar]

Everything need to be split, imo Right shift would be better off if split the other way around : 1u|1.75u instead of 1.75u|1u has it seem few people really use the Right shift.

I have never built a board with a split backsace for the only reason that I can find keycaps for it but imo that's the way to go.