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    MTGAP experiences?

    • Started by instinctive
    • 8 Replies:
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    • Registered: 24-Sep-2014
    • Posts: 1

    I know it's a Colemak forum, but... has anyone put consistent time into MTGAP? To be clear, I mean these for either the main 30 or the full standard keyboard:

                                  ^ ~ [ { < |  # > } ] % Q Z  
     Y P O U J  K D L C W           Y P O U =  K D L C W X + @
     I N E A ;  M H T S R           I N E A :  M H T S R !     
     Q Z < > ?  B F G V X           ` ? * ; &  B F G V J      
    
     y p o u j  k d l c w         \ 1 2 3 4 5  6 7 8 9 0 q z  
     i n e a ,  m h t s r           y p o u -  k d l c w x / $
     q z / . :  b f g v x           i n e a ,  m h t s r "    
                                    ( ) ' . _  b f g v j

    (Reference: Keyboard Layout Project)

    I'm determined to make the switch from QWERTY, have been trying new layouts, and this one seemed to resonate with me more than Colemak did. But I know there are advantages to going with an almost-standard, such as easy keyboard switch on anyone's machine.

    I don't care about preserving shortcuts, etc... just looking for pure typing improvement. As a programmer, I am also going to try one of the AltGr programmer layouts, like this from forum user tomlu:

      $ { } \   1 + [ ]
    @ * : / "   0 = ( ) ; !
      ~ | & #   _ - < >

    (Reference: Programmer symbols layout)

    Anyway, I would like to hear from anyone who committed to MTGAP. Thanks!

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    • Registered: 19-Jul-2014
    • Posts: 27

    What an interesting layout.  It is remarkably similar to Dvorak, yet completely different.  I would have likely given it a try if I had encountered it 2 months ago, when I was still typing Dvorak.   It appears to cater to programmers, which is nice.

    As someone who has learned 4 different layouts and typed them all at a high level (not at the same time), I would say give it a try as long as you can take a productivity hit for few weeks.  Keyboard layouts are a strange and subjective thing.  The only way to truly know a layout, is to use it.  For what it's worth, I loved Dvorak as a programmer, and this layout seems to have many of the same qualities.

    I just have to say, the first time I switched layouts (from QWERTY -> Dvorak), it took me a lot longer than a few weeks to be productive.  But I have co-workers that had no problem making the switch.  Now days, I can pick up a new layout much faster.

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    • Registered: 25-Oct-2013
    • Posts: 136

    I use it. That is, I use a variant of it, optimized for my use. Which is 85% Dutch language, 10% English, and some French and German. I used the program that Michael D!ckens  (MTGAP) wrote, in other words, I made a Dutch version of MTGAP.

    The layout is:

    / U O P Y X C L B V
    A I E N H M D R T S
    ; K Q F G W J Z
    
    . u o p y x c l b v
    a i e n h m d r t s
    : , ? k q f g w j z

    You see that it is a lot like the English MTGAP, and (therefore) also like a weird Dvorak mutant :-)

    I am learning it now, it's getting better everyday, I typed qwerty in hunt&peck style for many years, so I am now in some sort of switching hell ;-) but the layout is goooood :-)

    I wrote about the layout before on this forum, called it after its birthday then (Juli16), but I have since decided to baptized this Dutch  mtgap layout the “HERMANS layout“. Why?
    – HERMANS can be written on the home row
    – it is an hommage to W.F. Hermans (1921–1995), who was one of the greatest Dutch language writers. During his life, he lived in Amsterdam, Paris and Brussels; my layout does very well for the languages spoken there – Dutch and French
    – Plus: Hermans was a typewriter-geek, he left a collection of 160 typewriters. Pic here: KH792F . So all in all HERMANS seemed a fitting name.

    Is it better than Colemak? Try it out!

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,345

    Errr... no.

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

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    • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
    • Posts: 656

    Colemak is so optimized that we don't need to try another layout. Some others have plenty of time, though.

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    • Registered: 25-Oct-2013
    • Posts: 136

    @DreymaR, @Tony_V - LOL, as the Romans say: "De Keyboard Layouts non disputandum est" - it's useless to discuss about keyboardlayouts  :-) 

    Colemak is a fine layout, which preserves some 'qwerty-feel', which makes transition easier. I could live with Colemak and be very happy. Other good contenders are Dvorak, AdnW, MTGAP, Carpalx. I'm glad we have a wealth of layouts to choose from. Plus the freedom to design our own personal layouts! "Never settle!"

    Last edited by pieter (30-Sep-2014 15:27:23)
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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,345

    Points for the Roman quote! I would probably try 'De gustibus claviaturibus non disputandum est'? It is in fact quite hard to discuss other aspects of keyboard taste as well, even though it isn't useless.

    ~ Quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur ~

    Last edited by DreymaR (01-Oct-2014 15:24:58)

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
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    • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
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    Veni, vidi, vici.

    I came, I saw, I touch typed.

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    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,345

    VENI VIDI CLAVI VICI

    He came, he saw, he keyed, he won :)
    (Keep in mind that Caesar spoke this about himself in the third person as was his wont. Actually, he probably said it in Greek if he said it, but...)

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

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