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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: spdx on Tue, 16 April 2013, 00:05:52

Title: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: spdx on Tue, 16 April 2013, 00:05:52
Original Layout
[attachimg=1]

Suggested Layout
[attachimg=2]

1. Change [Ctrl] to regular size, move [Win][Alt][Fn] to the left (No value added from this big [Ctrl]).
2. Increase the length of [Spacebar] (So left thumb can reach spacebar easily when fingers on home row - left index finger on [F] key.)
3. Move [~`] at top row to [Del] at lower right (To give space to [Backspace] key).
4. Increase the length of [Backspace] (Normal size and easy to reach)
5. Remove [Bs] at function layer (Redundant function)
6. Relocate function layer [Ins][Del][Home][End][PgUp][PgDn] editing key clusters to function layer of [Right Shift][Left Arrow][Up Arrow][Downn Arrow][~`][Right Arrow] (Keep all editing keys together)

Any thoughts? Thanks

Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: justin.wu on Tue, 16 April 2013, 00:41:08
Hmm,,,I think I will change that layout

but that will be announce end of this month ,

for 1X2 big backspace is good for many people , and APP this key I think we can use function + any key , ctrl or alt is more important than App this key , because all HID keyboard must use any system (Windows/Mac/Linux/Unix...etc)

I think function + up/down/left/right arrow key , that is great design , because many apple user like that

[attachimg=1]

Original Layout
(Attachment Link)

Suggested Layout
(Attachment Link)

1. Change [Ctrl] to regular size, move [Win][Alt][Fn] to the left (No value added from this big [Ctrl]).
2. Increase the length of [Spacebar] (So left thumb can reach spacebar easily when fingers on home row - left index finger on [F] key.)
3. Move [~`] at top row to [Del] at lower right (To give space to [Backspace] key).
4. Increase the length of [Backspace] (Normal size and easy to reach)
5. Remove [Bs] at function layer (Redundant function)
6. Relocate function layer [Ins][Del][Home][End][PgUp][PgDn] editing key clusters to function layer of [Right Shift][Left Arrow][Up Arrow][Downn Arrow][~`][Right Arrow] (Keep all editing keys together)

Any thoughts? Thanks
Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: omgFiRE on Tue, 16 April 2013, 01:29:43
Any thoughts?

DIP switch to make Fn keys reportable (like F13 and F14) for user-defined Fn layer in software.
Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: spdx on Tue, 16 April 2013, 07:45:26
Hmm,,,I think I will change that layout

but that will be announce end of this month ,

for 1X2 big backspace is good for many people , and APP this key I think we can use function + any key , ctrl or alt is more important than App this key , because all HID keyboard must use any system (Windows/Mac/Linux/Unix...etc)

I think function + up/down/left/right arrow key , that is great design , because many apple user like that

[attachimg=1]  -->  [attachimg=2]

Hi, Justin,

Exactly. The six-key cluster is actually helping users from 87-key migrating to 66-key because the relative location of edit-key cluster remains the same.
For a 87-key user like me, dedicated edit-key cluster is very important, which is the main reason I can't adopt Poker, Pure, Race, Nopoo, Happy Hacking Pro and the like.
Hope I can see the six-key cluster happening on TEX keyboard soon.

Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: justin.wu on Tue, 16 April 2013, 10:08:23
Thanks !!

I will consider all advise for next version :)

Hmm,,,I think I will change that layout

but that will be announce end of this month ,

for 1X2 big backspace is good for many people , and APP this key I think we can use function + any key , ctrl or alt is more important than App this key , because all HID keyboard must use any system (Windows/Mac/Linux/Unix...etc)

I think function + up/down/left/right arrow key , that is great design , because many apple user like that

(Attachment Link)   -->  (Attachment Link)

Hi, Justin,

Exactly. The six-key cluster is actually helping users from 87-key migrating to 66-key because the relative location of edit-key cluster remains the same.
For a 87-key user like me, dedicated edit-key cluster is very important, which is the main reason I can't adopt Poker, Pure, Race, Nopoo, Happy Hacking Pro and the like.
Hope I can see the six-key cluster happening on TEX keyboard soon.
Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: omgFiRE on Tue, 16 April 2013, 12:20:48
It is funny, that RAlt is bigger than RShift, while I use RShift about thousand times more frequently than RAlt.
Spdx, I like your layout much more, than minila's layout. But two things cause worry for touch-typing: shifted "ZXCV" row (0.25x to left) and small RShift. By the way, both problems could be solved by expanding keyboard by one column to the right, as matias mini or leopold fc660m do.
Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: ValerieV on Tue, 16 April 2013, 21:54:50
I just bought this keyboard and you guys are already going to change it? I like the slightly bigger space bar but i have to tell you i really am not having a problem with the size like i thought i would. I had to move my delete key down a row so i don't like it on the top like it is suggested. Anyways, with the exception of the bigger size space bar, i don't really see the value in the changes. I love the keyboard more than i thought i would. Thanks :D
Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: spdx on Tue, 16 April 2013, 22:56:35
But two things cause worry for touch-typing: shifted "ZXCV" row (0.25x to left) and small RShift.

Indeed. Both the shifted "ZXCV" row and 1x Right-Shift do bother some touch-typing users. TEX and Pure Pro seem to have similar design.
Title: Re: How would you change Filco MINILA
Post by: Polymer on Thu, 18 April 2013, 09:38:25
It is funny, that RAlt is bigger than RShift, while I use RShift about thousand times more frequently than RAlt.
Spdx, I like your layout much more, than minila's layout. But two things cause worry for touch-typing: shifted "ZXCV" row (0.25x to left) and small RShift. By the way, both problems could be solved by expanding keyboard by one column to the right, as matias mini or leopold fc660m do.

Yeap..Adding one (or 1.5) column(s) on the right solves this issue and doesn't significantly increase the size of the board..