stratacast1 said:I've seen vanilla Colemak on macOS, OpenBSD and NetBSD and Linux...shakes fist at FreeBSD, maybe I should be the one to do a pull request.
Colemak has been included in FreeBSD wscons since 2008, and should be available in X.org as well via xkeyboard-layout, since at least as long.
Sure enough, must have slipped by me.
I'd say this is because now you are using a much better layout, you notice the difference. It's general point about whenever you switch to using something of better quality: it makes you more discerning.
Completely agree, and those moments I have to return to QWERTY I just notice it's all around uncomfortable. Most of my typing feels smooth to say the least.
Maybe there should be some sort of effort to get Extend included as a built-in option in some operating systems?
I think there should be for the variants of Colemak. We have how many different Dvorak options, but only vanilla Colemak? It would be great to see Colemak derivatives. I'm sure these could be easily seen in the Linux and BSD operating systems.
My bad for not responding guys, spent some weeks away from the computer for some RnR :D
]]>base.xml.in → base.xml
(same for extras.xml)
Plain files and lists are way more confusing, e.g. [some line breaks edited out]:
evdev_parts = base.hdr.part base.lists.part \ evdev.lists.part \
HDR evdev.m_k.part \ HDR base.l1_k.part \ HDR base.l_k.part \ HDR \
HDR base.ml_g.part \ HDR base.m_g.part \ HDR base.mlv_s.part \ HDR base.ml_s.part \
HDR base.ml1_s.part \ HDR \ HDR base.ml2_s.part \ HDR base.ml3_s.part \ HDR base.ml4_s.part \ HDR \ HDR \ HDR \
HDR evdev.m_s.part \ HDR \ HDR \ HDR \ HDR \ HDR \ HDR \ HDR base.ml_c.part \ HDR base.ml1_c.part \ HDR base.m_t.part \ HDR \
HDR base.l1o_s.part \ HDR base.l2o_s.part \ HDR base.l3o_s.part \ HDR base.l4o_s.part \
HDR base.o_s.part \ HDR base.o_c.part \ HDR base.o_t.part
So... what's base.l2o_s.part then for instance? Is there an overview of what the different parts do somewhere? And are the .lst files generated completely, with xml2lst.pl?
]]>To build, you'll first have to run ./autogen.sh and ./configure --bla to generate the various Makefiles. You may have to install some extra build dependencies iteratively until this succeeds.
The "build" process will be mostly about packaging and putting stuff together, there is no real compilation involved.
There are some README files in the repository (particularly in the docs/ directory), and some general guidelines in the Rules document on the website, but other than that, the documentation is quite sparse unfortunately.
]]>Okay, I found this xkeyboard-config download. Time to peek inside... but there's about 45 rules/ files and I'm still quite confused. Not easy to just read a makefile... Well, I think I know how to compile but not yet where to put my various rules changes.
]]>Or, if there is a clear guide somewhere, point me to it.
]]>Maybe there should be some sort of effort to get Extend included as a built-in option in some operating systems?
That'd be a dream come true for sure! But so far I fear that only Linux is within reach. My Extend implementation seems very stable and only a few layouts use the Level5 layers (for stuff that Colemak[eD] easily does with four layers anyway!) so there's almost no chance of conflicts... except for the function key mappings; those should maybe be optional for this.
The hurdle is adding my Big Bag to Linux. I guess I'd have to pull it apart a bit so as not to apply for the whole shebang in one go? And I'd have to make proper source files for the rules component because what I have now is not the recommended way (I provide edited precompiled files instead of the proper compilable rules source). Someone tried to show me how to do this once, but I couldn't quite follow it.
If someone wants to help me achieve this, please let me know.
There's bound to be many different wishes and habits when it comes to the exact mappings of each key. In Linux, that's not too hard for the user if they do their research.
]]>What's interesting, is each time I type, whenever i have to do the slightest stretch beyond the comfort zones of the keyboard, I notice it.
I'd say this is because now you are using a much better layout, you notice the difference. It's general point about whenever you switch to using something of better quality: it makes you more discerning.
Here's why I don't recommend MOD-DH:
It's not as universally available on OSes as Colemak (I've seen vanilla Colemak on macOS, OpenBSD and NetBSD and Linux...shakes fist at FreeBSD, maybe I should be the one to do a pull request)
Need to take extra steps to setup Colemak DH on your computer
If you virtualize operating systems like me, you'll have to set up Mod-DH on each VM, or SSH into it.
You'll want programmable hardware to REALLY enjoy it
Fair points for those who are looking to install a layout out-of-the-box on their OS. In that case you probably want an established layout that comes as standard and so base Colemak would be adequate (Windows excepted of course).
But to enjoy the full benefits of improved comfort and efficiency in your keyboarding, you'd be wanting to do more than just use bare Colemak - not the least is using Extend, but maybe other options worthy of consideration like moved modifiers, symbol/accent layers, wide layouts etc.
In the end, relying on a pre-configured list of layouts is always going to be rather limiting, and so the better bet will be to either install something customizable or use programmable hardware (or a usb remapper).
Maybe there should be some sort of effort to get Extend included as a built-in option in some operating systems?
]]>I've seen vanilla Colemak on macOS, OpenBSD and NetBSD and Linux...shakes fist at FreeBSD, maybe I should be the one to do a pull request.
Colemak has been included in FreeBSD wscons since 2008, and should be available in X.org as well via xkeyboard-layout, since at least as long.
]]>This is roughly my 1 year in mark since I switched to Colemak, so I wanted to share how my first year has been :)
Now to be honest...I switched to Colemak Mod-DH. I have to say, typing on Mod-DH has been better FOR ME, I just have troubles often with reaching the "B" key, but I find that would have been the "G" key this entire time so...I really don't mind. What's interesting, is each time I type, whenever i have to do the slightest stretch beyond the comfort zones of the keyboard, I notice it. Could just be my wrist issues that I've had for some time now, but those stretches aren't as often as when I used QWERTY, I can say that much, as sometimes when I set up a test OS or have to use someone's computer, I almost always feel strained (and feel like an idiot because QWERTY is hard now).
Here's why I don't recommend MOD-DH:
It's not as universally available on OSes as Colemak (I've seen vanilla Colemak on macOS, OpenBSD and NetBSD and Linux...shakes fist at FreeBSD, maybe I should be the one to do a pull request)
Need to take extra steps to setup Colemak DH on your computer
If you virtualize operating systems like me, you'll have to set up Mod-DH on each VM, or SSH into it.
You'll want programmable hardware to REALLY enjoy it
(sorry for the wretched formatting, too used to HTML and Markdown and this "user-friendly" way of adding lists has stumped me)
But if you can get passed those things and sometimes put up with the inconvenience, I say if you're interested in Mod-DH (or other variants of Colemak) please do give it a try! What I've done is use what's provided on GitHub for macOS, for my Linux laptops (cuz I don't do Windows laptops) and times I've done FreeBSD and OpenBSD I've been able to make a modified evdev.xml and rules file to include my keyboard layout and it has worked well for me. For my workstation, I bought a Vortex Race 3, set it to Colemak mode and then programmed the necessary keys to match the Mod-DH layout. And since it use DSA-style keycaps I was able to rearrange my keyboard caps :) What's funny though, is people don't realize they don't have QWERTY TRULY memorized until they try to type it on my keyboard. They look down and their mind blows up haha.
I have about reached full efficiency for typing at this point. With QWERTY I was able to type upper 90s to 110WPM depending on the string (all Typer Racer tested), and right now I'm consistently getting upper 80s. I don't even care if I reach that speed though because the comfort of typing is worth any loss in speed. And I don't notice the loss in my day-to-day typing since I more or less type in quick bursts, think about what I typed, then quick burst again
All in all, thank you to Shai, and the geniuses behind the variants, and the people who have gotten Colemak readily available in most operating systems :)
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