Hi,
I want to create a software keyboard layout that improves my efficiency while working and reduce hand movement etc. I've seen layouts that use dedicated FN-Keys and I also read about SpaceFN / Dual Role keys.
Besides these two concepts, I've got two other ideas in mind that I find promising:
1. Permanent layer switching
Let's take the SpaceFN layout as an example. I like the fact that it has a special layer with navigation keys etc., but I often find myself only using these keys for a longer time (e.g. when reading a document, browsing the internet or using a music player). In these cases, I have to hold the (Space)FN-Key down all the time to access the navigation keys which is uncomfortable. This is why I thought about creating a keyboard layout that can permanently be switched between different layers. My first idea would be to use the shift and caps lock keys so that you can use the shift key for switching to the "text input" layer that contains all standard letters and the caps lock key for switching to the navigation layer (arrow keys, ...)
2. Combine mouse and keyboard input
Using software on the operating system level, it should be possible to use both keyboards and mice with different layers. You could for example reprogram the mouse keys to something else if a modifier key on the keyboard is pressed and vice versa. One Idea would be to remap the mousewheel to Arrow-Up and Arrow-Down and the primary mouse button to Enter when the FN key of the keyboard is pressed. I think that this would be great when choosing items from a list, navigating an excel sheet, ...
So what do you think? Do you know any projects that use something similar to the ideas I described above?
