AT101 60% Matrix - The Littlefoot

[FletchINKy]

I was getting tired of layering for numbers on my 40% builds when I was at a desk and portability was not really an issue. Switching back and forth between a full keyboard with horizontal stagger kept messing with my brain, so I started working on this:



I called it "The Operator" because it was going to get work done, but now I'm flipping between the AT101 Elite and the AT101 Littlefoot.

The idea was to design it to keep as many keys as possible in as near profile as possible, and add a center strip and a left strip to make it symmetrical because it hurt my head to look at it when it wasn't. The only thing that moved was backspace, and that can live on the center strip.

I also wanted it to keep the charm of the AT101, so it needed to use the same keys and achieve the same coloration without mixing keys from other AT101s. One AT101 Bigfoot to one AT101 Littlefoot.







Pretty satisfied with it so far, it's nice to have all the keys right there, but learning the backspace is probably going to take a bit. I could always move it or keep backspace on a layer like I do for most of my boards.

Once I get it wired up I'll post more info. I really like it so far. I'll give it an acrylic top and support plate to sandwich the pressed board plate I cut on some scrap.

Album: http://imgur.com/a/bMFUl

[FletchINKy]

This whole thing was a tremendous failure  )

I couldn't stand using it.

Normally, the left mods Shift and Control (formerly capslock, of course) are activated with the left pinky, which is usually your weakest and least used finger. So accuracy may be somewhat lacking. Placing a column left of these 1u modifiers, even with a high profile, I was still missing them, and slowing down considerably.

The extended spacebar and function key was meant to make homing in on them easier, but they just made me bend more to get to the keys next to them

The center strip was a cool idea, and maybe the people at typematrix can't get enough of it, but I found it very distracting and hard to reach. Maybe they've all got longer pointers than I do. It was a pain.

Somehow even the simple Alphanumeric grid layout felt off. Technically it was no different from a 40%, just spread out one key width. No idea what was wrong here. Possibly some flex in the middle? I really don't know, it was just bad.

The enter key on the left was the only positive experience I plan on incorporating into future builds. Very satisfying to slam that pinky home.

It was parted out last night for the latest project, which I plan on posting here tomorrow. I've attached a sneak peek...

[suicidal_orange]

I hope you gave this enough of a chance - a week doesn't seem very long for such a drastic change of layout...