A keycap idea I had

[mdszy]

I had a bit of an idea for a design for keycaps to replace number-row keys. I thought it'd be interesting to have keys where instead of the number being the primary focus of the legend, the symbol assigned to the key was instead and the number could be side-printed or simply omitted.

I made the design in keyboard-layout-editor.com here.

What do you guys think?

[njbair]

Interesting idea, not sure if I've seen that done before.

I doubt 60% users would like it, though, because they are probably mapping the F-keys to that top row on a different layer, and without number legends it would be hard to tell which one you're about to press.

[TastaturenAuslese]

I think this would look great! Would definitely be down to buy this if it were to become a real thing, especially from my blank Topre HHKB

Can you imagine a blank keyboard with !@#$%^&*() all over the top. That would look pretty awesomely minimalistic and artistic at the same time.

[mdszy]

So if I do want to make this real...where do I start? I honestly have no idea :s

[Oobly]

This could work, especially if you also add homing bumps on 4 and 7.

[TastaturenAuslese]

So if I do want to make this real...where do I start? I honestly have no idea :s

I'm guessing you'd have to do an interest check to see how many people would consider paying for this. And then of course you'd have to find a supplier that can print these caps for you.

[rm-rf]

i would like it if it was the other way around.

[mdszy]

This could work, especially if you also add homing bumps on 4 and 7.

Why's that, exactly?

i would like it if it was the other way around.

So you mean with numbers big and centered and symbols side printed?

[TastaturenAuslese]

This could work, especially if you also add homing bumps on 4 and 7.

Why's that, exactly?

i would like it if it was the other way around.

The homing bumps are to guide people's hands, just like the ones on F and J. That way you have your left 4 four fingers covering 1234 and your right covering 7890. You move your left index if you want 5 (from 4), and you move your right index finger to 6 (from 7).

Another option is to side print ONLY the 5 and the 0, and leave the other sides blank. This makes it easier to locate the numbers by proximity, and also to know where your number row ends.
So you mean with numbers big and centered and symbols side printed?

[rm-rf]

This could work, especially if you also add homing bumps on 4 and 7.

Why's that, exactly?

i would like it if it was the other way around.

So you mean with numbers big and centered and symbols side printed?

yes.

[Giorgio]

Granite had this option.

French layout is made like this.

About the homing, I've tried it with dsa profiles and it works quite well.

[v0idtek]

The Vortex PBT/POM keycaps I use feel like that, just because the symbols are the ones that shine through with backlighting and the numbers themselves stay opaque underneath.

These are up on massdrop all the time.