ANSI and nordic keys

[JonasDK]

So, I've been searching the web for a 60% keyboard with an ISO layout, and they seem impossible to find. Therefore I'm considering switching from nordic iso to ANSI, but my only worry is, that I will miss quite alot of keys. Not the nordic "æøå" but more like some symbols with made with combinations like "ALT GR" + a number. So, do any of you with ANSI and ISO keyboards have any knowledge about this?

[damorgue]

The labels on the keys don't influence what your OS will interpret them as. I have had ANSI keyboards and the keys which usually output ÅÄÖ and alternate versions of the number row etc still do so even though labelled differently.

There is a project on these forums called the GH60 which allows you to build a 60% ISO keyboard.

If you want to have the correct legends on for instance the GH60, you can take the key caps from a TKL or fullsize ISO keyboard and just use a subset of them.

Edit: Link to GH60 thread

[JonasDK]

The labels on the keys don't influence what your OS will interpret them as. I have had ANSI keyboards and the keys which usually output ÅÄÖ and alternate versions of the number row etc still do so even though labelled differently.

There is a project on these forums called the GH60 which allows you to build a 60% ISO keyboard.

If you want to have the correct legends on for instance the GH60, you can take the key caps from a TKL or fullsize ISO keyboard and just use a subset of them.

Edit: Link to GH60 thread

I'm aware of this. The "æøå" will be there but like i said, what about the "Alt gr" combos? As i know, ANSI haven't got ALT GR. As for the GH60, it sounds awesome. I've already looked at it, but it seem's like i can't get one, unless someobody sells in the classifieds. Besides, it seems out of my budget. But I've been thinking about the Poker II, it seems nice. As for my understanding, the key difference between the GH60 & Poker II, is the programmable controller?

[mauri]

Ducky 60% will be coming I think during this year and it'll be in nordic ISO

[damorgue]

As for my understanding, the key difference between the GH60 & Poker II, is the programmable controller?

Both are programmable.

Edit: Filco had something called MANILA or similar which I Believe was going to support ISO. I don't know what happened to it though.

[JonasDK]

Ducky 60% will be coming I think during this year and it'll be in nordic ISO

That ducky 60%? I searched throught the web, and i were only able to find stuff from several months ago. It's like they just dropped it or something.

As for my understanding, the key difference between the GH60 & Poker II, is the programmable controller?

Both are programmable.

Edit: Filco had something called MANILA or similar which I Believe was going to support ISO. I don't know what happened to it though.

I just thought the GH60 had several programming layers? Or am i mistaken?

[damorgue]

I just thought the GH60 had several programming layers? Or am i mistaken?

Several layers might be limited to GH60. It depends on exactly what kind of programmability you want. Poker 2 does offer some ability to customize keys and program their output.

[JonasDK]

Several layers might be limited to GH60. It depends on exactly what kind of programmability you want. Poker 2 does offer some ability to customize keys and program their output.

Well, that seems  more than enough for a casual? Can't see many reasons why you'd want several layers. But this still doesn't solve my problem with ANSI/ISO.

EDIT: I thought programming meant you only where able of moving buttons, not actually launching programs, how awesome.

[Del]

Even though there's no key labelled Alt Gr on an ANSI board the right alt does send a different keycode than the left one and is interpreted as Alt Gr by the OS provided it thinks your keyboard is actually Nordic. There are also a few other 60% ISO boards like the Pure Pro and QWERkeys mystery keyboardiness (pending).

[JonasDK]

Even though there's no key labelled Alt Gr on an ANSI board the right alt does send a different keycode than the left one and is interpreted as Alt Gr by the OS provided it thinks your keyboard is actually Nordic. There are also a few other 60% ISO boards like the Pure Pro and QWERkeys mystery keyboardiness (pending).

So i wouldn't be missing the different symbols that the ISO have? I've seen the Pure Pro, but i don't like the cluster of 1x switches, it just seems strange. The same goes for the mystery, but it looks so nice.

oh lawdy, i seem picky )

[Del]

So i wouldn't be missing the different symbols that the ISO have?

You wouldn't. It's worth noting that you'll probably want to relocate either the apostrophe or æ if you do switch to ANSI. It's easy for me as a Finn to just replace å with ' but you'd probably want to keep the letters where they are which means that the best place for ' is the 1x key above enter which could be a bit awkward if you write a lot in English (with it being just above enter and slightly harder to reach). But if you can live with that by all means go ahead.

[mauri]

Ducky 60% will be coming I think during this year and it'll be in nordic ISO

That ducky 60%? I searched throught the web, and i were only able to find stuff from several months ago. It's like they just dropped it or something.

Ducky Mini 60%
Yes, this has been a hard one. Delay after delay. Last delays were due to the factory line who was late with other production runs as well. The Queue was long.
We now have a booked and confirmed production start date. Its 21st of july. The shipping date is 6-8th of august. The Minis will land 9th to 13th of august.

The ducky nordic pr dude or whatwhoever posts quite often in his thread over at deskthority. Honestly the ducky seems the best candidate for iso 60% since you missed the gh60. Every other 60% has some shady ass cluster**** layout.

[JonasDK]

I'm going to check it out, see what comes out of it.

[TacticalCoder]

what about the "Alt gr" combos? As i know, ANSI haven't got ALT GR.

ANSI keyboards do not have a key labelled "Alt Gr" but that's not too much of a problem.

I'm using an ANSI HHKB Pro 2 and I configured the key at the right of the spacebar to be basically "Alt Gr". It's not written "Alt Gr" on it but that's about it.

I set up my system so that Alt Gr shortcuts produce either non-ASCII characters (like eacute / 'é' etc.) or shortcuts that are specific to the window manager (Awesome WM under Linux).

So that's it: I'm using QWERTY / ANSI but with Alt Gr. I'm not saying it's the most common setup but it wasn't hard to set up.

Heck, if you want to you can configure that key to be the "Hyper" or the "Super" modifier and then assign whatever action you want to that "modifier + any key"