SpaceFN is really intresting to me, though the spacebar delay is not as much. I was trying to think of a way to get around that and this is what I've come up with.
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It would be a custom 60% pcb with tmk compatible firmware (for hardware dual role keys like control/esc and shiftL/( or shiftR/) )
Only difference would be two switches under the spacebar. Ideally you could just buy a standard keycap set, and get an extra spacebar, which you would then cut in half, and it would just work. Though I'm not sure how to achieve that without modding the spacebar a bit. What I don't think is acceptable is using 2 3u keys upside down. (Ideally would want to maintain the normal keyset aesthetic as close as possible)
Thoughts?
If you start modding the keyboard and add Fn keys, forget about SpaceFN completely.
The basic idea with SpaceFN is to use a standard keyboard. With this constraint, one of the solutions is SpaceFN. Another one is GuiFN, and there may be many more.
If you remove the constraint, I'm pretty sure that there are much better ways to organize the layout. With this I mean that you don't need to start with SpaceFN, and actually you should probably not start with SpaceFN: this will prevent you from finding creative solutions.
So it's fine to imagine what you want, and you are free to start anew.
I'm however wondering if you have actually tried SpaceFN. The space character is generated when you release the space key. It's not a fixed time delay, it's just that the generation of the character is linked to the release of the key, instead of the key press as is done usually.
If you are typing or editing text, this change has absolutely no importance. You type as usual, you do not need to think about it.
The cases for which SpaceFN is not satisfying are:
- Gaming when space must be recorded on the key press. In this case I fear a split space bar may also prove troublesome.
- Apps that use space as a kind of push down button. Inkscape is an example: within Inkscape you can press and hold the spacebar while dragging the document to pan in any direction. With SpaceFN you could press and hold space+B instead. Space+B has been added exactly for this reason. But I understand it may not be convenient.
- If you absolutely need space to autorepeat for any reason. With SpaceFN, space+B or double-tapping the spacebar does that, but it may not be acceptable.
If you are not in one of these cases, you should just try SpaceFN without any preconception and see if it works for you. Sometimes we try to solve problems that we are never going to face.