How do you know what "percent" a compact keyboard is?

[hoosieree]

I'm guessing the formula is just:

[number of keys rounded to nearest multiple of 5][percent-sign].  For example if you have a 52 key device, it'd be "50%".

But I never saw this formally defined, so I'm asking.

[piemancoder]

Sometimes it works like this, but not all the time. I think the way it works is based off of the three biggest form factors, 100%, 80%, and 60%. After that, if you make a different layout, it's based off of one of those. For example, the FC660C has a few more keys than a 60%, and is called a 66%

[chyros]

Off the top of my head:

100% -> fullsize
87% -> tenkeyless
75% -> compact / laptop
60% -> no numpad, nav or F keys
40% -> JD's layout
1% -> keychain

[jdcarpe]

I'm guessing the formula is just:

[number of keys rounded to nearest multiple of 5][percent-sign].  For example if you have a 52 key device, it'd be "50%".

But I never saw this formally defined, so I'm asking.

That's basically correct. Common sizes are referred to as:

100% = 104/105/108-key layout
80% = 86/87/88/91-key layout (TKL)
75% = 82/84-key layout
65% = 60% plus one column. Usually with dedicated cursor arrows.
60% = main section of a standard keyboard, without tenkey, nav cluster, or F-row. 5x15.
40% = 4x12 or 4x13 minimalist.

[0100010]

Off the top of my head:

100% -> fullsize
87% -> tenkeyless
75% -> compact / laptop
60% -> no numpad, nav or F keys
40% -> JD's layout
1% -> keychain

Ha - I like that 1%....

Now - what about bigger boards, like an Ortek MCK-142 Pro?

[chyros]

Off the top of my head:

100% -> fullsize
87% -> tenkeyless
75% -> compact / laptop
60% -> no numpad, nav or F keys
40% -> JD's layout
1% -> keychain

Ha - I like that 1%....

Now - what about bigger boards, like an Ortek MCK-142 Pro?

144%, one of my favourite layouts .

[iLLucionist]

So now I finally now what a 40% is... thanks!

[hoosieree]

Cool, thanks for confirming.  I guess it's not an exact science.

[iLLucionist]

Cool, thanks for confirming.  I guess it's not an exact science.

I believe it mostly started when we started with Tenkeyless keyboards or the idea that you could have a keyboard without a numpad. That was an 80%, but that's still made up because literally 87 / 104 is 83.65% (rounded at two decimal places). And it went from there I believe.