• You are not logged in.

Yet another Colemak experience thread

  • Started by erw
  • 36 Replies:
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166

Today I got 69 WPM for a non-misleading 5 minutes :-)

http://hi-games.net/typing-test,300/watch?u=4610

(dunno why it says qwerty - in fact i have not touch typed qwerty for more than a month)

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 4
  • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
  • Posts: 656

@erw: Go to Preferences, then type "Colemak" to "Keyboard Layout" textbox.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166
Tony_VN said:

@erw: Go to Preferences, then type "Colemak" to "Keyboard Layout" textbox.

Thanks.


New hi-score on typeracer:

typeracer02.png

Colemak ftw!


Edit: Fixed image url.

Last edited by erw (03-Dec-2011 12:23:29)
Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166

colemak_prog03.png

As can be seen from the graph, I haven't practiced much the last couple of weeks. I'll have to work hard to follow that log curve :-)


Edit: Fixed image url.

Last edited by erw (03-Dec-2011 12:22:57)
Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166

Today I was presenting some of my work at my programming job. While taking notes for the further development, one of the secretaries said my writing style was nice and it was not often that guys touch typed. Then I told them about Colemak and they were very impressed :-)

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 4
  • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
  • Posts: 656

Your work colleagues really understand ergonomics and typing efficiency.

In my office, none of my work colleagues can touch type. They are impressed by my touchtyping with Ninja keycaps (no legends on top) but only the research department understand the ergonomics of Colemak.

They feel that they will never be able to leave Qwerty comfort zone. I agree with them that the investment in changing layout is quite stressing for most of people and Colemak is not for everyone.

I think that Qwerty typists are most likely to be impressed and motivated to switch to Colemak, since you can only see the inefficiency of Qwerty when touch typing for a long time.

Last edited by Tony_VN (31-Aug-2011 15:31:54)
Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166

It's been a while since I posted in here. I have now been typing Colemak for four years! Thanks, Shai :-)

I wrote about it on my blog: http://blog.erw.dk/2015/02/27/4-years-with-colemak/

As learners we are typically very focused on our speed as a measure of progress. I had chosen for my post to keep that completely out of the picture, because speed is the wrong focus in my opinion, at least until you *are already learning*. Comfort is the right focus. After sharing it on facebook I was also happy to see two of my friends now use Colemak -- besides the ones I know from here ;-)

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

Nice, Erw!

Maybe you'd want to mention some more of the available options:
• For moving between computers, you might make a USB device that translates your input (I know, not for everyone – but super duper cool!)
• For locale layouts, I've made a bunch that are implemented for Linux and partially for PKL/Windows
• Also, people should remember that they may type a lot of English in addition to their own language, and letter frequencies are similar for many Western languages
• For Vim, an Extend layer may be great as that lets you type proper arrows which removes the need for HJKL remapping altogether

All of these are described in my sig topics, as usual.

Is that my old heatmap images (QWERTY vs Dvorak vs Colemak, iirc) you use for your avatar? Cool! :-)

Last edited by DreymaR (02-Mar-2015 11:05:08)

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

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166
DreymaR said:

Nice, Erw!

Maybe you'd want to mention some more of the available options:
• For moving between computers, you might make a USB device that translates your input (I know, not for everyone – but super duper cool!)

Thanks. Yeah, there are many options, but I tried to keep it simple ;-)

DreymaR said:

• For locale layouts, I've made a bunch that are implemented for Linux and partially for PKL/Windows

The reason I didn't just link to them is the same as above. Your two big bag threads linked in your sig are kind of intimidating :-P  It's nice work, but maybe it needs a "summary" thread or page also, and with some simple download links and instructions? Ideally, you can send anybody (regardless of OS) to *one* page, where they - without scrolling - can get an overview of the options, and then click a link to a page with download link and instructions for their particular choice? It probably takes a lot of work to do that, though.


DreymaR said:

For Vim, an Extend layer may be great as that lets you type proper arrows which removes the need for HJKL remapping altogether

Hehe, but HJKL are the proper arrow keys for Vim ;-)

But it's true, that is another solution. As is a keyboard that provides accessible arrow keys such as Kinesis (or, to a slightly lesser extent, Ergodox).


DreymaR said:

Is that my old heatmap images (QWERTY vs Dvorak vs Colemak, iirc) you use for your avatar? Cool! :-)

Yes, it is :-)

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 17-Nov-2014
  • Posts: 102

Excellent blog post. Simple and well written. I especially like the graph showing the elevated letters by frequency. I'm not sure if you created that, but it would be a good thing to add to the main Colemak page.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 2
  • From: Aalborg, Denmark
  • Registered: 18-Feb-2011
  • Posts: 166

Thanks a lot!

The 3d graphics are by Pavel a.k.a. pafkata90 (https://forum.colemak.com/profile.php?id=1458) and I agree. It's the most compelling illustration of a keyboard layout I have ever seen!

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

I finally found Pavel's picture post: https://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?pid=8391#p8391 (and the following posts)!

Unfortunately, most of those pics are expired now... not sure where else to find these. I agree that his images are very compelling and nice.

Last edited by DreymaR (05-Mar-2015 00:33:52)

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

Offline
  • 0