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    Longtime Colemak User

    • Started by roygbp
    • 5 Replies:
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    • Registered: 08-Aug-2009
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    08-Aug-2009 22:00:56#1 Longtime Colemak User

    Hey,
    I've been using Colemak for probably more than two years now (can't remember how long ago I didn't).
    Things that are awesome:
    1. Caps Lock -> Delete : saves so much time once it is second nature to fix errors this way (which it is for me)
    2. Z, X, and C unmoved for easy cut/copy/paste
    3. Easily type special keys like áãéíó by holding down alt and ctrl.

    If I have any complaints, it is that I can definitely feel the increased right-hand stress over the left; maybe that doesn't mean anything ergonomically but I find it a tad annoying.

    No doubt Colemak pwns qwerty and dvorak though (I tried both). Can't say anything about the other layouts.

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    09-Aug-2009 06:27:42#2 Re: Longtime Colemak User

    It'll be three years for me this October. My favourite thing is typing the word "the". With QWERTY, it's an awkward, often misspelled flail. With Dvorak, it's a nice right to left roll on the home row. But with Colemak, it's a perfect every-other-key, left to right roll right across the middle of the keyboard. It makes me happy every time I type it, which is, of course, constantly.

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
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    10-Aug-2009 09:47:43#3 Re: Longtime Colemak User

    Moving the Back key to the left hand should take a lot of stress off the right hand! Further load redistribution can be accomplished in Windows by using an 'extended' layout with the PKL program: I press CapsLock and Space for Enter, for instance, thereby eliminating a lot of right pinky work.

    However, if your right hand gets stressed a lot I'd suspect that you're doing something else wrongly now. Could be a bad mousing habit or work position related? I know that I've felt my recent (over-)use of console controllers in my wrists. Luckily I've got strong wrists now - it actually helps a lot more than most people realize to work out your "typing" musclulature!

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

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    10-Aug-2009 20:03:34#4 Re: Longtime Colemak User

    I mean that, generally, the right hand is typing a lot more than the left hand. Don't you feel that way also? I don't mean that my right hand starts hurting (that'd be bad). Getting used to pressing space with my left pinkey might help this imbalance feeling, though.

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    11-Aug-2009 10:17:46#5 Re: Longtime Colemak User

    I think you mean left thumb? I've tried using the left thumb instead to press the space key and although it slows me down quite a bit, it is useful, especially on laptops, where fatigue sets in early. It'll probably take a few hours before your right thumb stops pressing the key as well.

    Good luck.

    "It is an undoubted truth, that the less one has to do, the less time one finds to do it in." - Earl of Chesterfield

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    11-Aug-2009 13:55:13#6 Re: Longtime Colemak User

    I usually press it with the right thumb for Space and the left thumb for Enter (with CapsLock). But it's not your thumbs you will be worrying about at any rate I think, because they're really strong and dexterous. If your thumbs cause you fatigue that'll be because of a bad arm position I think.

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

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