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If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

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Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#141

Post by samatman »

pottertheotter wrote: post #90
cyphar wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll be honest, I bought an Ergodox EZ a year or so ago and have consistently struggled to get comfortable using it. I have set up quite a few useful macros for programs I use daily like tmux as well as making it more vim-friendly (after many interations) and yet I still find it a serious chore to get past the fact that the keys feel un-naturally placed. Eventually I just give up and switch back to my laptop keyboard…

Wow, I had never heard of that keyboard. It looks like it would be an absolute nightmare to set up and learn to use.

Your mileage may vary! I found it easy and rewarding, other people find the ortholinear layout confusing and struggle to type on it, as some sibling comments show.

The one hitch I hit early on, is that it turns out I type 'y' with the left finger on laptops, and on a stock ErgoDox, that involves hitting a layer button, which of course throws off one's rhythm. I had to turn that key into a dead key until I got used to typing y with my right finger (I still hit it with the left on a laptop).

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#142

Post by samatman »

1e-9 wrote: post #121
ganonm wrote: post #49

Around 2 years ago now, I took the plunge and bought myself an Ergodox EZ split island keyboard. Quite franky, it is the biggest quantum leap in the ergonomic experience of interacting with a computer I have seen since learning Vim. It is comfortable, effortless and fast. If you spend any significant time interacting with computers it is a complete no brainer to invest in optimising the IO channel between your brain…

Has your conventional keyboard typing suffered significantly? Seems like that might be a problem for laptop use when traveling without the special keyboard.

I do have some lingering switching issues, notably I've put -/_ and +/= on the left side since there isn't room on the right, and `/~ are below left instead of above left.

It's annoying for the first hour, then the muscle memory kicks in. It seems to be slowly but surely sinking in, I expect at some point my fingers will just learn which is which.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#143

Post by simias »

1e-9 wrote: post #121
ganonm wrote: post #49

Around 2 years ago now, I took the plunge and bought myself an Ergodox EZ split island keyboard. Quite franky, it is the biggest quantum leap in the ergonomic experience of interacting with a computer I have seen since learning Vim. It is comfortable, effortless and fast. If you spend any significant time interacting with computers it is a complete no brainer to invest in optimising the IO channel between your brain…

Has your conventional keyboard typing suffered significantly? Seems like that might be a problem for laptop use when traveling without the special keyboard.

I use an ergodox as well and I still manage to use my regular keyboard just fine but it feels bad. After drinking the ergonomic kool-aid you notice how awkward normal keyboards can sometimes be.

That being said I've made a script that uses xmodmap and xcape to emulate some of the functionality of my ergodox layout. Obviously I can't physically modify the keyboard but I can remap control to caps lock, use xcape to make it send escape when used on its own (and use "space cadet shifts" to input parentheses), I also like to shuffle some keys to make them easier to reach (for instance I don't use Alt a lot but I use Super to control my WM, so I use xmodmap to swap them on regular keyboards).

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#144

Post by samatman »

Osiris wrote: post #101
stevehawk wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

complaining about $300 for a great keyboard is like complaining about a pricey bed. You use it for how many hours of the day if you're a programmer/engineer? Maybe it's worth spoiling yourself.

For me the hesitation is that it's a lot of money for something I don't know if I'm going to like it or if it's going to make me more productive. It's an expensive experiment, especially considering the vast variety of different styles, layouts, pressure sensitivity, etc, etc.

You can hop on reddit and resell it on for 50-100 less than you paid for it. This makes the experiment less expensive, and if you're trying to pinch that last penny and have some patience, you could cruise those same forums until one comes up on sale, and sell it off for what you paid for it.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#145

Post by egypturnash »

This unusual layout arrived from a convoluted train of thought - switching from a full-size to help with mouse-related RSI issues; missing the keypad; and being left-handed.

Honestly as a righty putting the numpad on the left makes much more sense to me now that everyone expects to have a mouse in easy reach of their dominant hand.

Not that I've put this in practice myself; the only time I ever really need a numpad in my life is on the very rare occasions I'm playing a roguelike.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#146

Post by mastazi »

I just realised that having the keypad on the left is actually a great idea, solves the problem of wanting to keep the mouse closer to the main section of the keyboard, while keeping the keypad. Also, the keypad placed on the left can double as a cheaper alternative to those expensive gaming keypads. Anyone who is not into DIY could achieve the same by combining a TKL (tenkeyless) keyboard and a stand-alone USB numeric keypad.

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#147

Post by samatman »

wishinghand wrote: post #89
andrewflnr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TIL people put knobs on their keyboards. Do you generally have to configure your own actions for knob events or is there software that supports them out of the box?

If I get one, it'll be for volume. If I get two, the second will control scrolling up and down.

I solve the latter with a Kensington trackball with a nice, generous scroll wheel.

Pity it lacks a third mouse button. I've considered glomming a button to the front (cable) side with some Sugru...

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#148

Post by qes »

JoshTriplett wrote: post #108
qes wrote: post #25

One day I'll likely be faced with making my own keyboard layout or losing the wonderful Home/End/PgUp/PgDn/Delete layout I've been used to for years now on a long discontinued keyboard model (I seriously have a box of spares under the bed that I bought when they stopped being made). I've found myself adaptable to the action of many keyboards, but there's some layout features I'm very particular about.

> a long discontinued keyboard model Can you provide a link with a picture to show what you mean about the layout?

https://i.imgur.com/oreqrA1.jpg

Re: If You Can't Buy the Keyboard You Want, Build It Instead

#149

Post by egypturnash »

zenexer wrote: post #44
ourmandave wrote: post #16

Meh, the Phantom has been doing this since 1925. And try getting custom keys delivered to an opera house on a Saturday before a big open.

Can you elaborate? This album is about a person who built their own keyboard, but it sounds like you're describing a company. Are you saying that company designs custom keyboards?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera
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