Windows installerMicrosoft Keyboard Layout Creator fileCorelDRAW X5 template (Physically swap d and h so the bump is in the right place).
To start with, I base my layout on Dvorak - the reasoning behind this is simple: I have been using Dvorak for many years (10+), I think it has a nice typing rhythm, but there are some flaws, and I'll run down the design goals after the inital money shot.
These may change a little as I refine the extra keys. If you want the layout at any point, ask and I should have it ready. I'll link it when it is 100% done and there are no more concerns.
Main ISO layout is as follows (ISO is the primary design platform, but
[post=593351]read down for ANSI goodness and testing results).[/post]Unshifted:
Shifted:
AltGr:
Shift+AltGr:
Design goals/outline:Here are some of the common issues that I aim to have tackled with this design:
Shortcut keys:
X - x moved to ; position, ; moved left.
My main concern is not to have QWERTY like shortcut keys, but a nod is given to them being easy to hit with one hand. ZXCV positioning is not considered paramount.
Also, all the letters are now available without significant (extremely little) hand movement. Previously x was just too far away.
The stretch to f:
Fix - move it to the old position of j.
Reasoning - j is seldom used. j gets displaced.
Please note for anyone who thinks this using a bottom row position is bad for a common letter:- this position is far too easy to hit with the index finger to be left for j. 'm' and 'w' are more frequent than f and already have a bottom row position.
U & I: Swapped.
This puts the 8 most frequent letters under your home fingers. Yes, it very slightly increases effort for 'ou' but is overall an obvious refinement.
The oft-derided position of l:
Fix - Swapped with r. [original design swapped with g, but this had issues]
Reasoning - l is used more often, and there are other reasons I will go in to in a bit.
Top row on the right: very refined. Key areas attacked; from worst to least offensive:- hurdles, awkward hand repositioning, load on pinky, pairings involving home then top on the same finger, load on ring, load on index.
Key areas improved on the right hand:- more load on the middle finger, motions requiring one finger for a letter pair are generally extend-press-fold-press, which is more comfortable than the other way round.
CR roll is retained with the new layout, but now is on the strongest fingers.
See [post=593876]this post[/post] for more work on the top row if you're not sure.
Now to the more unique traits of this layout:
ISO & ANSI specific revisions (ISO layout could use the widening and is a little more versatile with the extra key, no point ignoring that).
3-key gap in the home row - less distance to backspace, enter, right shift under pinky (useful with short left shift on ISO).
2 dedicated dead keys for international input. (There are a few more dead keys in this middle cluster, as seen in the image).
In total, here are the dead keys available: grave accent, acute accent, diaeresis, stroke, circumflex accent, Greek, cedilla, dot below, caron, breve, macron, ogonek, dot above.
? available unshifted. (Not in the simplified versions, which retain standard keycaps).
Easy for Dvorak users to adapt to. Very obvious Dvorak character to the layout.
Very little stretching (no horrible centre reaches)
Some other stuff too:- altgr combos mainly using the left hand (thumb much closer on the right makes this so easy)
[post=593351]Read down for ANSI goodness and testing results.[/post]Previous designs:
2 pretty |
2 clean1 pretty |
1 cleanI once designed keyboard layouts many, many years ago (it's any incredibly obscure name, but someone may know of "New Euro Keys").