geekhack Community > Ergonomics

Custom split ortholinear ergo keyboard

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nevin:
yes, the removal of the F-row began with the 60% and from someone that uses Fkeys in shortcuts all day, everyday, it's very quick and easy to learn/transition to. and for the most part, almost all custom keyboards employ this method of accessing the Fkeys.

the BFO is probably the largest ortho you'll be able to find. trying to find any otrho with more than 6 columns are far & few between, they do exist but not nearly as common as 6 columns or less.

the requirements that are my make or break are:
- must have 7 columns (to keep a "normal" number row, and in turn, keeping a full Frow)
- have enough keys to have a dedicated arrow keys (preferably in the bottom right).
- if you go with 7 columns, it is an easy transition to ortho as your layout can be very close to typical qwerty.

hope this helps.

theKM:
Must have function row?... I concur with others, it's cruft that you will be much better with layering magic. Hitting function keys has never been easier for me than with a 50% board and QMK. With something like the Iris, I can hit ctl+alt with my thumb, hole a layer shift with my pinkie which puts the function keys on the number row or even under my right hand like a number pad. Putting function keys where regular keys are, I've never hit them as quick and easy as I can now.

The whole "I can't possibly live without the (whatever) keys"... is only heard by people that haven't given layering an honest shot. Usually it's the arrow keys... set up tap/mod with your pinkie that puts the arrow keys literally under your fingers on the home row, it makes moving your hand to dedicated arrow keys really quite silly in comparison.

ergonaut:
While I generally agree with those of you who say that F-Keys can be replaced with an additional layer, this doesn’t always work that well for gaming.

nevin:
....BFO or a super-sized dactyl-manuform then.
... or if you have access to a 3d printer and can model somewhat you could do a variation on iso's MEK - 3d printed modular ergonomic keyboard and just scale up the left & right consoles to larger grids.

theKM:

--- Quote from: ergonaut on Tue, 24 March 2020, 17:24:56 ---While I generally agree with those of you who say that F-Keys can be replaced with an additional layer, this doesn’t always work that well for gaming.

--- End quote ---

Ergo keyboards are about efficiently reaching everything you could ever want to type. Never, in the history of keyboards, has anyone ever hit top row F keys as quickly and efficiently as keys on or near the home row... it's just impossible to do, and that's exactly what you can do with modern firmware like QMK. Put a mod/tap on a thumb or pinkie key, and drop all your function keys right under your hand without moving, ready to go, faster than anyone that needs to literally pick their hand up to get to an F key... and most people need to look at the keyboard to get an F key, or they're slower as they have to feel for the key in the grouped F clusters. nasty.

Gamers seem to have more hang-ups to trying new things than anyone else I chat with :)

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