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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Chris_F on Sat, 23 June 2012, 17:10:01
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I was just thinking about possible alternative keyboard layouts. I'm really not a fan of 10-keyless because I do use the number pad enough, but I'm also right handed and the usual arguments against having the 10 keys applies. Anyway, after some thinking I came up with this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]53790[/ATTACH]
It's a 110 key design. I chose to lengthen the space bar by removing the right windows/super key. It seems to me this key is rarely used and it would be nicer to have a longer space bar and more symmetrical bottom row. I also added an extra key to the number pad (equal sign) and put delete as a stand-alone key where num lock would normally go, rather than, for instance, making it a secondary function of another key.
The M keys are macros which would probably be nice to have. The end result is a keyboard who's width is one column less than a full sized, has approximately the same functionality of a full sized, and has the main keys closer to center and more room to the right of the keyboard for your mouse.
Would anyone here be interested in a keyboard that had a layout like this?
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I don't like mixing the arrows with the numberpad. As I like the arrows to have some space around them to be easily identifiable, and I*rarely use the numberpad.
But some people like this idea.
Also, I don't like the longer spacebar. First it'd be a pain in the ass to find replacemet keys, and then it's not centered on where you place your thumbs. Also, longer means more stabilizing needed. I think bigger modifyers are more interesting, or alternative modifyers (FN layer and the such). Or just a hole, so you can help yourself hitting the right key.
I like the macro keys. But I don't think anybody needs that much keys. And It'd be annoying to keep them usable on all three major OSes. :s.
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What market would you be trying to market with this keyboard? As a gamer, I could give opinion on what would be the best changes or issues that no other keyboard manufacturer has decided to tackle.
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I have been wanting something similar, but winkeyless, the numpad traditional with 2 units 0 and all the arrow, page, home, end, delete and num lock key where they are usually and one column of macro keys would be good enough. Would need to be hardware programmable for the sake of the macros so software don't need to be installed for them to function, only to assign them.
Or essentially, fix everything that sucks about the Black Widow, and you would be golden.
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I want the numberpad on the left!
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I want the numberpad on the left!
Well this is a completely hypothetical keyboard, but maybe the doubly hypothetical left hand version would be reversed like that.
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Oh you mean this? It exists:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=17027924016
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Probably, yes! Or something like it...
alternative to tenkeyless idea (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?24474-alternative-to-tenkeyless-idea)
Alternative keyboard layout: 5 rows only, XT-style function keys (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?25787-Alternative-keyboard-layout-5-rows-only-XT-style-function-keys)
Alternative to TKL (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?22409-Alternative-to-TKL&highlight=alternative+tenkeyless)
compact mechanical keyboard? a case for the IBM PC/AT layout (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?20232-compact-mechanical-keyboard-a-case-for-the-IBM-PC-AT-layout)
Why Tenkeyless? Let's get rid of the arrow keys & Pageup/Pagedown cluster cluster (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?6371-Why-Tenkeyless-Let-s-get-rid-of-the-arrow-keys-amp-Pageup-Pagedown-cluster-cluster)
My Ultimate Compact Layout (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?13264-My-Ultimate-Compact-Layout)
tenkeyless? (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?16640-tenkeyless)
I don't know if this one is available yet...
LASTLY, A MECH KEYBOARD WITH THE PERFECT LAYOUT + FOOTPRINT IS BORNED(almost...)!!!! (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?29605-LASTLY-A-MECH-KEYBOARD-WITH-THE-PERFECT-LAYOUT-FOOTPRINT-IS-BORNED%28almost-%29!!!!)
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Yeah... there seems to be a huge call for something similar in the community, and nothing that really exists to fill that want yet. We need a pcb that has options. Mount options for winkeyless or winkey arrangement, 2 units numpad 0 or single unit 0 and 00, ansi or iso or jis, etc, etc, etc.
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Actually, what we really need is a source of cases (and possibly plates if you're a fan of them). And, to some extent, keycaps, although you could get by with blanks, or WASD Keyboards caps. The PCB is feasible to produce in fairly low numbers :-)
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I just realized that the Razer Marauder keyboard uses pretty much this exact layout (minus the macro keys). Too bad it's a rubber dome and an expensive one at that.
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Actually that's true the cases really seem to be the biggest catch with 'odd' custom boards. It's pretty expensive to have billet milled or new molds made for plastic case for small production runs. I suppose having plexi laser cut is always a 'cheap' option while still getting something nice looking.
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I use laptop keyboard :D
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I just realized that the Razer Marauder keyboard uses pretty much this exact layout (minus the macro keys). Too bad it's a rubber dome and an expensive one at that.
Actually that's true the cases really seem to be the biggest catch with 'odd' custom boards. It's pretty expensive to have billet milled or new molds made for plastic case for small production runs. I suppose having plexi laser cut is always a 'cheap' option while still getting something nice looking.
Hmm, I wonder... could we find a cheap-ish rubber dome and just use the case from it?