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geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: PieterGen on Thu, 01 September 2016, 13:50:19

Title: A NEC M-System symmetrical board in a 60% case
Post by: PieterGen on Thu, 01 September 2016, 13:50:19

I tried to fit the famous Japanese M-system keyboard in a 60% case. This is the M-System board:

(http://xahlee.info/kbd/i3/NEC_M-shiki_keyboard_NEC_PC98_1992-s.jpg)

My constraints:
- must fit in 60% form factor
- more letters on the left size to accomodate Dvorak, Colemak, and so on
- no stabilisators, so no keys bigger than 1.75u
- symmetrical
- ergonomical

As a result of the constrains plus the wish to modernize / improve, it looks quite different from a real M-type....

(https://i.imgur.com/fm3zDUC.png)

Some considerations: 
- I felt that one big line F-keys needs some space inbetween, to make touch typing easier (find the right key without looking)
- There was no room for shifts and enter in the traditional places. Plus I felt that these are better typed with the thumbs.
- DEL feels more logical next to BackSpace; INS next to Enter. Of course all keys can be assigned other meanings.
- I had to get rid of 1 row (60% case constraint).


 Your thoughts? Is this "M-Type squeezed in a 60% case" better than, for instance, these two ideas?

(https://i.imgur.com/910wNSX.png)

(http://i.imgur.com/gPJ2DiE.png)

Here is the Keyboard Layout page (http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/##@@_c=%230073a2&t=%23CCCCB7&a:7%3B&=ESC&_c=%236e6d6b%3B&=F1&=F2&_x:0.25%3B&=F3&=F4&=F5&_x:0.125%3B&=F11&=F12&_x:0.125%3B&=F6&=F7&=F8&_x:0.25%3B&=F9&=F10&_c=%230073a2%3B&=%230%3B&@_w:1.25%3B&=TAB&_c=%23cccccc&t=%23000000%3B&=Q&=W&=E&=R&=T&_x:0.25&c=%236e6d6b&t=%23CCCCB7&f:5&w:1.75%3B&=^^&_x:0.25&c=%23cccccc&t=%23000000&f:3%3B&=Y&=U&=I&=O&=P&_c=%230073a2&t=%23CCCCB7&w:1.25%3B&=%231%3B&@=CTRL&_c=%23cccccc&t=%23000000%3B&=A&=S&=D&=F&=G&_x:0.125&c=%236e6d6b&t=%23CCCCB7&f:4&w:1.25%3B&=%3C%3C&_w:1.25%3B&=%3E%3E&_x:0.125&c=%23cccccc&t=%23000000&f:3%3B&=H&=J&=K&=L&=%232&_c=%230073a2&t=%23CCCCB7%3B&=%233%3B&@_x:0.4&c=%23cccccc&t=%23000000&w:1.25%3B&=Z&=X&=C&=V&=B&_x:0.075&c=%236e6d6b&t=%23CCCCB7%3B&=&_w:1.25%3B&=VV&=&_x:0.075&c=%23cccccc&t=%23000000%3B&=N&=M&_a:5%3B&=%3C%0A,&=%3E%0A.&_w:1.25%3B&=%3F%0A%2F%2F%3B&@_x:1.25&c=%230073a2&t=%23CCCCB7&a:7&w:1.5%3B&=ALT&_w:1.5%3B&=Win&_w:1.5%3B&=SHIFT&_w:1.875%3B&=BACKSP&_w:1.875%3B&=ENTER&_w:1.5%3B&=SPACE&_w:1.5%3B&=ALTgr&_w:1.5%3B&=FN) for the 60%MType.

Title: Re: A NEC M-System symmetrical board in a 60% case
Post by: Phenix on Fri, 09 September 2016, 10:25:33

The 3th is the nicest IMO m. (the one with the many MOD keys).
But I for myself would add another column to left as I want a M15 alike arrow key cluster..