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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: DuckNorris on Wed, 12 April 2017, 09:11:54

Title: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: DuckNorris on Wed, 12 April 2017, 09:11:54: Hello Guys,

I was emulating this morning how I could use 60% boards etc if I had one. I tried using my right pinky as I do with my left pinky to press say shift and a letter at the same time. However, this was very uncomfortable and odd to me to do it with the right pinky. I realized I barely ever use my right pinky to type as I usually only use it to press ; or " key. This is important to me as if I decide to get a 60% I see many shortcuts are used and I will have to more than likely (like in HHKB) press FN or shift on the left with my left pinky to trigger the arrows keys.

Anyone else experience this discomfort before and ever got used to it when switching to 60%?
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: zeltner on Wed, 12 April 2017, 09:32:00: I use a guiFN layout on 60%. Basically your right windows key is your fn. press it with your thumb. Arrow keys in your function layer still feel very natural and using them with the left hand modifiers is no problem.
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: DuckNorris on Wed, 12 April 2017, 09:42:06: Quote from: zeltner on Wed, 12 April 2017, 09:32:00
I use a guiFN layout on 60%. Basically your right windows key is your fn. press it with your thumb. Arrow keys in your function layer still feel very natural and using them with the left hand modifiers is no problem.

This is actually a very good idea as I am not sure if my right pinky will ever be used to being in that position for even longer than a few seconds (or can get used to that). Would this also work in a HHKB?
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: nmur on Wed, 12 April 2017, 10:10:29: right shift is a further reach for the pinky, most people don't use it. something like the ergodox has the right shift and other modifiers at an equal reach as the left side keys

as for the hhkb fn key, on my 60% board i'm using a 35g spring for the fn key
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:27:36: change the : colon key to right shift..

that's what I did when I used antiquated flat keyboards.
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: davkol on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:33:26: Or use the wide mod, which provides (1) an extra bit of hand separation, and (2) brings the right-side keys closer (to the thumb&pinkie).

(https://i.imgur.com/exxzMWK.png)
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:44:52: Quote from: davkol on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:33:26
Or use the wide mod, which provides (1) an extra bit of hand separation, and (2) brings the right-side keys closer (to the thumb&pinkie).

Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/exxzMWK.png)

came up with a better one years ago when I used obsolete flat tkls.

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: davkol on Wed, 12 April 2017, 14:05:48: Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:44:52
came up with a better one years ago when I used obsolete flat tkls.
What an ugly, inconsistent mess. *pukes*
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: Joey Quinn on Wed, 12 April 2017, 14:45:45: Quote from: davkol on Wed, 12 April 2017, 14:05:48
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:44:52
came up with a better one years ago when I used obsolete flat tkls.
What an ugly, inconsistent mess. *pukes*

Looks like it was designed to maximize finger movement :confused:

Edit: A bit more on topic, the only right side mod I don't hit with my pinky is shift. Sometimes I don't need to hit enter with my pinky but that's because I often remap it to where alt is so I can hit it with my left thumb.
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 12 April 2017, 14:57:08: Quote from: davkol on Wed, 12 April 2017, 14:05:48
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 12 April 2017, 13:44:52
came up with a better one years ago when I used obsolete flat tkls.
What an ugly, inconsistent mess. *pukes*

Hahaha.. says the small minded.
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: DuckNorris on Thu, 13 April 2017, 12:20:11: Thank you guys for the suggestions but it seems I will have to remap things to use my right pinky less. Good to know it is not that weird to feel so. I will probably be aiming for a much easier mod in the layout , maybe just switch out a modifier or two for shortcuts.
Title: Re: Right pinky discomfort when using right side modifiers(fn etc) on 60% boards
Post by: tp4tissue on Thu, 13 April 2017, 12:48:48: Quote from: DuckNorris on Thu, 13 April 2017, 12:20:11
Thank you guys for the suggestions but it seems I will have to remap things to use my right pinky less. Good to know it is not that weird to feel so. I will probably be aiming for a much easier mod in the layout , maybe just switch out a modifier or two for shortcuts.

The choice of where keys go is arbitrary.

Why couldn't a 3x key be a letter, why can not a 1x key be a modifier..

Break the rules, Challenge convention , obliterate all in your path, fear not even the gods, their omnipotence is the final step of complacency and weakness.