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Split keyboards and how to build them

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Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#51

Post by __mharrison__ »

betwixthewires wrote: post #45

I'm curious why none of these split designs ever feature a trackball on the right half integrated into the board somehow. There are plenty of FOSS trackball designs, it seems like it would just make sense, especially for ergonomic designs, to have a trackball set up where you don't have to move your hand over to move a cursor. Also I don't understand why they're always missing function keys.

Add a long time thinkpad user and someone who has a mech keyboard (unicomp) with a trackpoint, I thought these would be common place... Still waiting for a trackpoint but I have a nice big CST trackball between my split keyboard until then...

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#52

Post by __mharrison__ »

srcreigh wrote: post #46
nbzso wrote: post #3

Speaking of real ergonomic and health in my humble opinion, the designs with Concave keywell (Kinesis/Dactyl) are the way to go. I have jumped on to Kinesis Advantage 2 and all my wrist pain is no more.

After ~1.5 years using emacs keybindings in IntelliJ, I couldn't code for more than 20 minutes without pain. I no longer have any extended pain due to: 1. Modal editing. I use the boon package for emacs, but basically vim 2. Sticky keys. Basically, I don't have to hold down any modifiers, I just press Ctrl then press N for example. Or two Ctrl to lock it, NNNNNN, then Ctrl to return to normal. On macs this is in the…

This is similar to my setup.

Similar to a Jedi building your own light saber, you should build (and customize fw) for your keyboard :)

When I built my ergodox, I put the Norman layout on it. I use emacs bindings almost everywhere, so control is under a thumb.

(I'm still tweaking and considering a gergoplex when I get to stay travelling for training again)

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#53

Post by avindroth »

andredz wrote: post #42
avindroth wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd go all the way and also add dvorak (programmer's) to the mix. But if somebody goes out of the way to buy an ergonomic keyboard, they are probably fiddling around with keymaps, too.

I sometimes use http://programmer-dvorak.appspot.com/ to practice. The ergonomics of accentuation is inconvenient, but this probably solves the problem: https://github.com/N0rthw1nd/Latin-Dvorak

I could never get my head around the numbers. I just have a custom layout where for 1,2,3,9,0 they are without shift, and for 4,5,6,7,8 they are with shift. So for me shift 1 is &, but shift 4 is 4. It actually works really well.

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#54

Post by __mharrison__ »

ecliptik wrote: post #35
tvanantwerp wrote: post #13

I'd love to try a split ergo keyboard, but 1) I have no interest in building one and 2) I have no interest in paying $300 for a fully-assembled one. There's got to be untapped market potential for fully assembled ergonomic split keyboards costing less than $300.

Gergoplex is $160 fully assembled, but may not be for everyone. Most of the cost is usually in the switches and keycaps. https://www.gboards.ca/product/gergoplex

Tempted by these for travel. I even have a layer on my ergodox that stimulates one...

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#55

Post by srcreigh »

randmeerkat wrote: post #38

All I want is a low profile, wireless ergodox, with an aluminum chassis. I would willingly pay $500+ for such a keyboard, but it just doesn’t exist.

I think bluetooth is just hard to get right.

I was recently in the market for a Filco Majestouch Minila keyboard. I was very scared off by a few reviews which said that bluetooth just stopped working after a while. Is $500 worth it if it could break after a year? Maybe if it was under warranty. Anyway I opted for the wired version.

Never mind my Logitech MX Master 2 mouse which I could never get to work using Bluetooth, and even disconnected all the time with the USB receiver.

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#56

Post by vemv »

Anyone know of a compact keyboard that has 3 modifier keys (ctrl+cmd+option) per hand, at the bottom row?

The would suit greatly my editing style - I'm surprised that most hackers don't seem to appreciate this approach.

The Matias Tenkeyless models are like that, but they also could be a bit more compact.

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#57

Post by 3np »

I am still trying to piece together a Lily58 Pro build kit I bought from a reputable shop.

Either half will work fine independently (posing as left) but there just doesn't seem to be any way I can get them to work together.

Granted I'm very much an amateur on soldering (getting all the things soldered on properly took me several hours!) and electronics, but I just can't figure this out.

All connections seem good, the microcontrollers flash all right, etc etc.

Just a rant, I've been very excited for this but it's starting to feel like wasted effort and money... So close but yet so far.

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#58

Post by mech422 »

betwixthewires wrote: post #45

I'm curious why none of these split designs ever feature a trackball on the right half integrated into the board somehow. There are plenty of FOSS trackball designs, it seems like it would just make sense, especially for ergonomic designs, to have a trackball set up where you don't have to move your hand over to move a cursor. Also I don't understand why they're always missing function keys.

check out the 'tracktyls'.. The 'beast' (1) gets all the attention, but I actually like qqurn's stuff (2)(3) better. He even has a nice git repo with dactyls with trackball, electric eraser, and button based thumb clusters(4)

Oh - and the 'missing function keys' are because most of these boards are made to be used with a firmware like QMK - which lets you have 'layers'. So you have a layer with cursor movement, a layer with function, etc.

1) https://medium.com/@kincade/track-beast-build-log-a-trackbal...

2) https://imgur.com/a/TDE640k

3) https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/g3aue6...

4)https://gitlab.com/keyboards1

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#59

Post by 3np »

srcreigh wrote: post #55
randmeerkat wrote: post #38

All I want is a low profile, wireless ergodox, with an aluminum chassis. I would willingly pay $500+ for such a keyboard, but it just doesn’t exist.

I think bluetooth is just hard to get right. I was recently in the market for a Filco Majestouch Minila keyboard. I was very scared off by a few reviews which said that bluetooth just stopped working after a while. Is $500 worth it if it could break after a year? Maybe if it was under warranty. Anyway I opted for the wired version. Never mind my Logitech MX Master 2 mouse which I could never get to work using Bluetoo…

There are bluetooth adapters meant to convert a USB keyboard to a wireless one. Maybe worth a shot?

Re: Split keyboards and how to build them

#60

Post by ebrewste »

betwixthewires wrote: post #45

I'm curious why none of these split designs ever feature a trackball on the right half integrated into the board somehow. There are plenty of FOSS trackball designs, it seems like it would just make sense, especially for ergonomic designs, to have a trackball set up where you don't have to move your hand over to move a cursor. Also I don't understand why they're always missing function keys.

Agreed on the rarity of integrated trackballs. I’ve got my numbers and f keys on layers. I don’t miss lots of dedicated keys for things that layers do well. Ymmv, but layers are why f keys are often omitted.
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