Remapping backspace to [

[intelli78]

For the past few months, I've been mapping backspace to left bracket on all of my boards. (I remap left bracket to Control + left bracket.)

Pros:

- Right pinky moves incredibly short distance
- Solves muscle memory problem when switching between boards with weird backspace location/size

Cons:

- annoying when writing BBcode; for coders it could be a real nuisance
- Maybe less optimal than mapping to semicolon (have to try this)
- Harder to use other people's keyboards
- Harder to find backspace when you are searching for it

I've grown very accustomed to it and for me the pros completely outweigh the cons.

Anyone else do this, or use any other unconventional remapping?

[jacobolus]

I like putting backwards delete on a thumb key, given fully programmable firmware / a key layout that can fit it (Ergodox, etc.).

The Colemak people put it on caps lock, which also seems like a good choice.

If you don’t use brackets ever, putting backwards delete on [ seems like a reasonable choice, though.

Have you considered down-sizing to a 40–60% keyboard? For instance, I think this would work pretty well:

[tbc]

capslock -> backspace.

i have trouble believing ANYONE needs capslock more than backspace.

[sth]

capslock -> backspace.

i have trouble believing ANYONE needs capslock more than backspace.

i've always thought this was an interesting idea. it's from colemak right?
i really like control where caps normally goes, and hhkb backspace/delete is pretty close to my bracket keys... otherwise i would try this remapping. maybe on my gh60...

[tbc]

ctrl -> capslock is a unix/linux thing.  obviously works good for windows apps, but i copy far less than i backspace, so backspace gets it.

basically anything should go there except capslock.

but ya, it's from colemak.  only thing i use from colemak though.


the one issue is that it's really hard to type fast on other peoples' worksations.

[sth]

ctrl -> capslock is a unix/linux thing.  obviously works good for windows apps, but i copy far less than i backspace, so backspace gets it.

basically anything should go there except capslock.

but ya, it's from colemak.  only thing i use from colemak though.


the one issue is that it's really hard to type fast on other peoples' worksations.

yeah i know the ctrl/caps placement origin. i use ctrl and alt for a lot of window manager controls as well as doing a ton of copying and pasting for my job so the placement is good for me, and having backspace on \ saves me some strain. i know what you mean when it comes to switching machines. i type a lot of \\\\ when i need to back up