Yeah, I always use links to images on this forum.

The board modding topic by me is old, but touches on the same issue. I like the more expensive keyboards that often have replaceable caps. :-)

Yes, there's a bit of adjustment ... but the overall layout is more compact. I found sometimes I was using pgup/down, delete and arrow keys without needing to check the keyboard, so if I stick with keyboards with this layout I should be able to do the same even more easily once I'm familiar with it. And the symmetrical keys are perfect for changing layouts (at the keyboard's price point).

I just switched to tarmak 2. I invented a little drill out of all possible ftgj combinations to do before I google "words containing ftgj" (starting with ftg because j will move again, not as important)

ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg ftg etc etc etc etc till I finish a line
fgt
tfg
tgf
gtf
gft
ftgj
ftjg
etc etc
fgtj fgjt fjtg fjgt tfgj tfjg tgjf tgjf tjgf tjfg gtfj gtjf gftj gfjt gjtf gjft jftg jfgt jtfg jtgf jgft jgtf

Tarmak really is great, I was only on step one for a few weeks.

By editing /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/us and adding...

    key <CAPS> {     [ BackSpace,    BackSpace    ]    };

...to the top section called name[Group1]= "English (US)" (copied out of the colemak section of the same file, which is very long and contains all US layouts, with the default US layout at the top) I got backspace switched... then I found a reference to backspace in the name[Group1] = "English (programmer Dvorak)" section...

    key <BKSP> { [ BackSpace,       BackSpace                                   ] };

...so I tried adding...

    key <BKSP> { [      ,                                          ] };

...along with the tarmak 2 changes to the top section, which disabled the entire keyboard after I restarted... I had to reboot into recovery mode and edit it out (somehow recovery mode remembered the layout I had entered for tarmak 1). Does anyone know what I would put in that file to disable backspace to force me to learn the new capslock position? I've physically removed the key for the moment.

To disable backspace, you can add

key <BKSP> { [ VoidSymbol, VoidSymbol ] };

to your symbols file.

Alternatively, you can edit /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/pc and comment out the line

key <BKSP> { [ BackSpace, BackSpace ] };

by putting two slashes in front of it. This way, backspace will be disabled for all your keyboard layouts. But if you modify the symbols/pc file, you should be even more careful since it applies to all layouts.

Thanks 39aldo39. I think I'll take your advice though Dreymar, once I've finished tarmak and wrapped my mind around your extend mappings.

I've updated my introductory exercise for tarmak switches:
ftg fgt tfg tgf gtf gft ftgj ftjg fgtj fgjt fjtg fjgt tfgj tfjg tgjf tgjf tjgf tjfg gtfj gtjf gftj gfjt gjtf gjft jftg jfgt jtfg jtgf jgft jgtf

It's just all combinations of ftg then ftgj (because j is moved two more times)... copy the entire line, typing underneath it, as many times as you want to wake your brain up to the new key positions.

When you google for "words containing ftg" or "ftgj" you see search results from previous people's tarmak efforts.

http://www.litscape.com/word_tools/cont … imally.php
^word finder tool for getting lists of words for practising (if you click "Word Finder Tools" at the top a drop down menu gives various useful tools)

I tried to get ftg words using my dict client, but seem to have a stumbling block, that I can't do lookarounds, and have a word limit.  But this churned out quite a good list:

cat /etc/dictionaries-common/words | grep -P -e'(?=.*f)(?=.*t)(?=.*g)'

The " Kaliber Gaming Keyboard " found on Amazon is an excellent choice for those on a budget (only $30.00). It simulates mechanical with plunger keys. Comes with a Key Puller and pulling the plunger keys and reinserting them is the easiest that I've seen on any keyboard.

Just add a dab of epoxy or  Super Glue  to the  T and N keys and you'll will be Stylin.

It really has a great feel to it actually I prefer it to the expensive Cherry MX keys and it's very accurate.

It has one possible drawback. The letters on the keys [Regular Size] are very large so you can't use a transparent overlay, otherwise all is normal.