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A Modern Space Cadet

stevelosh.com

51–56 of 56 posts

Re: A Modern Space Cadet

#51
post #45

Have anyone implemented any of this on Windows, perhaps with Autohotkey? Is it possible?

Yes, you can do it with AutoHotKey. I tried it a few years ago but didn't really get on with it. I think it might have caused problems with some keyboard shortcuts I use - a lot of my emacs shortcuts are designed for activation with one hand pressing modifier keys and the letter key. Anyway, just use the modifiers to indicate left or right Shift specifically. For example, assuming QWERTY: +p::Send p

but wait, this doesn't get at having shift behave normally unless it is the only key that gets pressed. Does it?

Re: A Modern Space Cadet

#52
post #51
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, you can do it with AutoHotKey. I tried it a few years ago but didn't really get on with it. I think it might have caused problems with some keyboard shortcuts I use - a lot of my emacs shortcuts are designed for activation with one hand pressing modifier keys and the letter key. Anyway, just use the modifiers to indicate left or right Shift specifically. For example, assuming QWERTY: +p::Send p

but wait, this doesn't get at having shift behave normally unless it is the only key that gets pressed. Does it?

No, sorry - the bit from the article that was in my mind as I replied was forcing one to use the opposite Shift, because I'd tried that myself. I didn't think about the use of Shift as a key on its own (I really wouldn't get on with that myself as I tap the meta keys a lot while I'm thinking).

Re: A Modern Space Cadet

#53

Have anyone implemented any of this on Windows, perhaps with Autohotkey? Is it possible?

create a file, ctrl-to-esc.ahk:

  Ctrl::
  Send {esc}
  Return
Then run the script and AutoHotkey will sit in the background, waiting to substitute a lone ctrl for an escape-key-press.

I haven't figured out the shift-parens yet, unfortunately.

Re: A Modern Space Cadet

#54

I'm hoping the split spacebar that Microsoft introduced[1] starts catching on with mechanical keyboard makers. The left side of the spacebar currently wastes valuable real estate. Putting another backspace key would move the most typed key into easy reach instead of forcing the right pinky to leap on every error. On the topic of keyboard ergonomics, I also believe that all keyboards should be tenkeyless. It's another…

Split spacebars existed long before this model. The Kinesis Freestyle ( http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/freestyle.htm ) had them since at most 2008.

EDIT: I may have misinterpreted you; the split spacebar I'm talking about is split between the two halves of the keyboard and can move completely independently of the other half.

Re: A Modern Space Cadet

#55

I'm almost ashamed of how excited I was while reading this. Default layouts of keyboards are incredibly ineffective for programming, and I find customization of layouts to be very important. The best thing I ever did was adopting something I found on some dvorak layouts; using AltGr to make any special symbols. Now, AltGr+qwerasdfzxcv makes ()[]^${};/&! for me, which covers 90% of the special characters I write. Not…

I ask xmodmap to make a compose key, which is probably something close to what you're talking about.

You can also ask Emacs to switch to tex-mode typesetting with C-u C-\

Then, you can type λ with \lambda , and other common TeX symbols.

Re: A Modern Space Cadet

#56
post #31

I'm not sure I would like the caps lock doing double duty as both control and escape, since it seems like it would be easy to accidentally use it wrong. I always remap the caps lock to control, but long ago I trained myself to use control-] in place of escape so I never have to reach for that dreaded key when using vi, and I can also use emacs happily.

Probably everybody reading Steve's post had a "eureka" moment on different sections. For me, it was the dual-duty caps lock key idea. I've always used "ii" remapped to ESC in vim insert mode--that changes today.

How did you type Hawaii or Radii or Naziism before?
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