• You are not logged in.

    New layout

    • Started by R2D2!
    • 7 Replies:
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 21-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 17

    I have made a new layout that is based in Colemak, but more "internationalized". Here it is:
    800px-R2D2%21%27s_keyboard.svg.png
    (

     _____ __
    |     |
    | ( { | Z
    | [ < | z

    It is the black part.)

    Just give Constructive comments about the layout.

    —R2D2! // Ilhuıtemoc δ

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    What physical board is that? Doesn't quite look like any Kinesis I've seen so far, but plenty cool. Expensive?

    I'm puzzled because I cannot spot any differences from the Colemak letter block? All the other stuff, of course - but that isn't a part of the Colemak principle really. Or - hang on - is all the non-letter keys what you've designed maybe? If that's the case I wouldn't say that you've made a new layout based on Colemak but rather an extension of the Colemak to a new hardware layout including special keys! But from the detail level of your design including Scroll and those other function keys it doesn't look like that's quite it either; seems to me you do have a special physical board and it's hard for me to see exactly what is your work on it.

    A few things strike me, such as the (double) dagger seeming easier to type than the prime/apostrophe (on your right pinky stretch). I use the latter a lot more than the former, and would probably switch those around.

    Also, if you want an international layout you should find space for at least a stirling sign (£) and I'd have the cent (¢) somewhere too; maybe Yen/Lira/Franc and a few more while you're at it (₢₧₤₣₫¥₨₮ are on my ridiculously extended layout, but only as deadkey releases).

    I'm happy to see the Spanish exclamation/question mark and degree sign there.

    Aren't you using "AltGr" functionality to get extra glyph sets on the main keys? I like that, for such things as the German sharp S (ß), Icelandic characters (þðÞÐ) and I have Greek as well but that's optional. You could also use the AltGr(-ish) method for common accented glyphs without the boring dead keys. A Swede wouldn't want to use the dead key every time he/she wrote one of the öÖäÄ letters. Oh - where's my Norwegian/Danish/etc much-needed æøåÆØÅ by the way?  ;)

    Depends on what you mean by "internationalized", of course. As it stands now, the full Colemak definition including AltGr for international signs probably works better for general international typing than your extended layout because you don't have the national characters there and have to use dead keys for all accents which is slightly more work than the AltGr way for those who use a sign often.

    Last edited by DreymaR (31-May-2007 12:50:54)

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

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 21-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 17

    Well, it's not perfect at all, but I'll improve it.

    What physical board is that?

    It isn't any existent keyboard but a new design I'm creating. The Scroll button is meant to switch from pointer to scrolling (like Scroll Wheel).

    Or - hang on - is all the non-letter keys what you've designed maybe?

    Yes, it's an extension. Sorry for the mistake.

    A few things strike me, such as the (double) dagger seeming easier to type than the prime/apostrophe (on your right pinky stretch).

    I didn't notice I left the apostrophe so far. An earlier version had it closer to the index finger.

    Also, if you want an international layout you should find space for at least a stirling sign (£) and I'd have the cent (¢) somewhere too;...

    It's in the Dollar/Euro Key as a modifier Currency Key, but it could be changed.

    Aren't you using "AltGr" functionality to get extra glyph sets on the main keys?

    I forgot that part! It will be fixed in the next version.

    Thank you for your opinion

    —R2D2! // Ilhuıtemoc δ

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 210
    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,343

    Ah, so that's what AltGr+$ does. Good idea. To be honest, I've no idea what the Currency symbol (¤) is used for really; on my Norwegian keyboard it's even given a prominent position at Shift+4 which is more central than the dollar sign even! Using it as a currency dead key symbol should work well.

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

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 21-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 17

    This is a now version of the layout:

    Keyboard.png

    What do you think about it?

    —R2D2! // Ilhuıtemoc δ

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 07-Jan-2007
    • Posts: 47

    The one trouble with it is that it takes up more desk space which is not good if you'd want the same feel with a lap top.

    I think the best solution is to turn the keys back into circles as with old typewriters, shift the top row a quarter key left and a couple millimeters down and the bottom row a couple millimeters up, so that all adjacent keys are the same distance from each other if they are on the same row or adjacent rows.

    This arrangement would be like a stack of oranges and have the advantage of being a very close approximation of the current standard.

    Then you just shift move the bottom-left left hand key to the top-left left hand position and the top-right left hand key to the bottom-right left hand position so that,
    The left hand is angled comfortably as the left hand, without increasing the foot print of the keyboard.

    The best is that this method works well even with standard hardware. But redesigning the keyboard would shorten the reach =)

    For example instead of typing like this:

    f\g\m\l z¦@ o\u\p\b
     s\d\t\n r:a e\i\c\h , 
      v\k\w\j x:' q\y\.\;

    I type like this:

    v f/g/m/l¦@ o\u\p\b
     s/d/t/n r:a e\i\c\h , 
     /k/w/j x z:' q\y\.\;

    The above works with any keyboard.

    Also, a manufactured keyboard with a hexagonal pattern would look much prettier than the square layout.

    Last edited by sorenk (05-Aug-2007 08:17:43)

    "Things will get better despite our efforts to improve them" - Will Rogers
    "...even the dog doesn't think I'm a monster." - Humphrey Bogart in The Caine Mutiny (1954)

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 21-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 17

    This is an hexagonal version:

    Tecladohexagonal.png

    The asterisks mean that no symbol is located there.

    Using Fn, you can access "Home", "End", "PageUp", "PageDown" with the arrow keys.

    —R2D2! // Ilhuıtemoc δ

    Offline
    • 0
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 07-Jan-2007
    • Posts: 47

    WOAH, that's beautiful. Though, g would be a bit of a reach. And I'm old-fashioned in liking the square number pad in line with my right shoulder (and maybe a mirrored number pad on the left side). But it definitely looks good.

    -*/N                                N/*-
    +987     z q/w/f/g¦j l\u\y\-        789+
    +654      a/r/s/t d:h n\e\i\o ,     456+
    E321      /x/c/v p b:k m\,\.\?      123E
    E.00                                00.E

    An advantage of hexagonal stacking is the rows fit closer than on a rectangular grid so you might get away with an extra row at the bottom.

    "Things will get better despite our efforts to improve them" - Will Rogers
    "...even the dog doesn't think I'm a monster." - Humphrey Bogart in The Caine Mutiny (1954)

    Offline
    • 0