Author Topic: My Search for the Ideal Layout  (Read 5078 times)

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Offline quadibloc

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My Search for the Ideal Layout
« on: Sat, 06 August 2022, 21:10:38 »
In my opinion, it is very important for the layout of a computer keyboard to be well-suited to the needs of touch-typists.
This means that the shift keys, the Enter key, and the backspace key should not be hard to reach.
The keyboard of the Model M met that requirement very well; the only difference between it and the traditional electric typewriter keyboard, as found on the early Selectric typewriters, was that the Enter key wasn't double-height.
I've looked at ways to resolve that last imperfection. One way would be to let the CTRL key obtain alternate characters on a few keys:

which is fine if one is designing a computer from scratch. But such a keyboard wouldn't be compatible with the scan code mappings that Windows has come to expect.
So I came up with this, inspired by the Japanese keyboard:

The key for the number 6 is double-wide because some people use the left hand to press it, and others use the right hand.
« Last Edit: Sat, 06 August 2022, 21:12:13 by quadibloc »

Offline CaesarAZealad

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 07 August 2022, 07:44:57 »
You failed at step 1 by using an ISO layout.
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty... Yeah that seems about right.
"Ask your mother how good I can use more than two fingers." - Caesar, 2023

Offline Leslieann

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 07 August 2022, 12:13:15 »
What you want is essentially being slowly run out of the hobby.

Hot swap doesn't allow layout changes.
Few of those are big enter.
Very little with hot swap excludes the Win key.
100% (full size) boards are also very much not in favor at the moment thereby limiting you even more.
Then you have shortages...


What you're going to have to do is find an older style kit, most likely without hot swap or rgb. I would say to check Krepublic, however they seem to have stopped all full size sales and unfortunately they were probably your best hope for something you could buy new as a kit. Leaving you with 2 options, find a current or old group buy and buy used (or older Krepublic kit) or build it yourself. Building it yourself, especially if you have a 3d printer is totally doable, however it;s a pretty large project, not just in size for the printer, it's a big undertaking your first time. As for finding an older kit, good luck.
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Offline quadibloc

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 07 August 2022, 14:02:51 »
You failed at step 1 by using an ISO layout.
I definitely agree that the 101-key layout is superior to the 102-key European layout. However, I think you've missed what I was trying to do, by focusing on the fact that I'm using a double-height ENTER key.
My goal was definitely not to move in the direction of the ISO layout, even if my second attempt does include the extra key of that layout (between the B key and the N key). Instead, it was to take the ANSI layout, and "perfect" it by going all the way back to the electric typewriter layout; get rid of the }] key and the |\ key, and bring back the double-height ENTER key that typewriters had.


Offline CaesarAZealad

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 07 August 2022, 15:05:16 »
100% (full size) boards are also very much not in favor at the moment thereby limiting you even more.
Full sizes are such an underappreciated layout. Every time someone says "Use layers." I die a little inside.
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty... Yeah that seems about right.
"Ask your mother how good I can use more than two fingers." - Caesar, 2023

Offline MIGHTY CHICKEN

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 07 August 2022, 15:59:38 »
100% (full size) boards are also very much not in favor at the moment thereby limiting you even more.
Full sizes are such an underappreciated layout. Every time someone says "Use layers." I die a little inside.
Nah bro, just use layers, ItS MOre eRGONomiC

In all seriousness, I do think full sizes while probably not the most practical for most people, do have some great aesthetics to them. I can't find myself to get used to one on the daily as I find myself binding most of the keys outside of the 60 cluster into layers and just use it as if it were a 60.

Offline JohnnyBravo1212

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 19 August 2022, 06:29:34 »
To be honest, I've gotten used to the qwerty keyboard. I recently tried to use other keyboard to manage mu site how-to WP but nothing felt right.

Offline selsik

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 28 August 2022, 02:13:36 »
100% (full size) boards are also very much not in favor at the moment thereby limiting you even more.
Full sizes are such an underappreciated layout. Every time someone says "Use layers." I die a little inside.

It's not like it's the most widely available layout on the entire planet :^)

Why get into customs if you want the normiest of layouts with zero room for actual customization? Why not just buy a 100% OEM and customize switches/keycaps? That's about as custom as you can go in a 100%
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: My Search for the Ideal Layout
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 29 August 2022, 16:04:13 »
There is no ideal layout,  make your own. if you believe it, it's ideal.

Of course it must be on a split + tented keyboard...  otherwise, what's the point, you'd only optimizing a single hair on a whole cat.  Gotta style the whole animal.