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What single change would improve QWERTY the most?

  • Started by Suzzy
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misterW said:

I don't think its optimal though.

Optimal? No. But the road to achieving proficiency of adaptive fingering is too long for most people. Learning a new layout is probably faster. And better.


E/K vs E/L

E/K is superior from the standpoint of putting E under a stronger finger and distance reduction. L, R and D being of roughly equal frequency in English, L has a fairly valid spot on the homerow. Moving it to the top row increases distance more than K. Still, from the E/K swap you could easily swap K/T and have a fairly nice layout with only three keys changed, or go one step further to swap T/D for four. Either way you create problems with the CK digraph though.

   Edit: Also, EI digraphs are more common than EO. So E/K reduces L.Middle samefinger but increases R.Middle samefinger, E/L reduces samefinger on both L.Middle and R.Ring.

E/L is better for same finger reduction and hand alternation. LO digraphs are more frequent than you'd think, and putting E on R.Ring causes less interference with hitting U with R.Middle. It also has the added benifit of giving your hand more room to stretch for the center column on HE NE YE (and reverse) digraphs, which are something of a sticking point with Colemak. EG: YK/KY or YL/LY, which is easier? From here I'd probably go to a T/S or T/D swap. It gets T on the homerow, and doesn't increase samefinger too much, but it isn't great.

   Edit: Actually I forgot the logic behind the T/S swap, but after double checking I remembered. As with the LurE layout, typing R with L.Middle takes a hefty bite out of L.Index samefinger. So T has to stay off L.Middle.

Using the same corpus as the previous LurE example:

| Distance M | L.Pinky | L.Ring | L.Middle | L.Index | R.Index | R.Middle | R.Ring | R.Pinky |  Total  |
|------------|---------|--------|----------|---------|---------|----------|--------|---------|---------|
| QWERTY     |  1010.9 |  699.3 |   3945.1 |  5979.7 |  5864.6 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2547.8 | 24869.2 |
| LurE       |   999.5 |  680.8 |   2862.9 |  5229.6 |  5125.1 |     3523 | 2458.7 |  2546.1 | 23425.6 |
| LurE ST    |   999.5 |  680.8 |   2862.9 |  4258.5 |  5125.1 |     3523 | 2458.7 |  2546.1 | 22454.5 |
| Colemak    |  1020.3 |  699.3 |   1287.6 |  3281.8 |  3698.2 |   1231.9 | 1041.9 |    2137 | 14397.9 |


| SameFinger | L.Pinky | L.Ring | L.Middle | L.Index | R.Index | R.Middle | R.Ring | R.Pinky | Total |
|------------|---------|--------|----------|---------|---------|----------|--------|---------|-------|
| QWERTY     |    1309 |    498 |    14852 |    7943 |    6392 |     1626 |   4563 |    2846 | 40029 |
| LurE       |    1013 |    497 |     4678 |    2467 |    2106 |     2316 |   2315 |    2841 | 18233 |
| LurE ST    |    1013 |    448 |     4678 |    1453 |    2106 |     2316 |   2315 |    2841 | 17170 |
| Colemak    |    1191 |    377 |      811 |     812 |    2409 |     2168 |   1104 |    4725 | 13597 |

There are probably better swaps, but that T position bothers me.

PS. Tables thanks to Ascii Table.

Last edited by cevgar (07-Mar-2017 23:46:31)
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Heh. To me, this topic is a bit like discussing which hairdo would improve the POS POTUS the most. ;-)

Then again, to a Dvorak aficionado it's unsettling that Colemak doesn't change almost everything. So, hehe.

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cevgar said:

There are probably better swaps, but that T position bothers me.

Yes! Even though E is a bit more common, the T is in a lot worse position to start with. If I had to choose, I'd sooner fix T than E.

In fact, A straight T-F and N-J swap would be pretty good. Even though it doesn't do much for bigram improvement, it does fix those two centre-column diagonal keys.

Or, you just could just go with 4-key Minimak which is pretty good for the number of keys changed.

Last edited by stevep99 (08-Mar-2017 15:33:03)

Using Colemak-DH with Seniply.

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Well, so is Tarmak1 – and that'll take you places. ;-)

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DreymaR said:

Heh. To me, this topic is a bit like discussing which hairdo would improve the POS POTUS the most. ;-)

If the minimum change to Qwerty is comparable to a new wig, Dvorak would then be the equivalent to dressing in drag. Considering the person in question, I don't see how this would help anyone. ...except for maybe Ivanka. That would certainly open up potential for a new fashion line.

Anyways, for me trying to find the best single change is like a puzzle. A rubix cube for instance. A pointless diversion, intensely frustrating, yet oddly fun. Or at least so I hear. I binned my last one.


stevep99 said:

Yes! Even though E is a bit more common, the T is in a lot worse position to start with. If I had to choose, I'd sooner fix T than E.

I know, right? The frustrating thing is, unlike E, there are no really good T swaps right out of the gate. You can't swap T onto a finger with a vowel, or a vowel into T's position. Obviously you don't want T on a pinkie, and the homerow is preferable. That leaves you with... F and S. F only reduces distance which doesn't seem worth the effort.

From straight Qwerty, TS is the only T swap you can do that reduces both distance and samefinger.

...wait a minute.

Correction, TS and A: with Row Shift are the only single key swaps that reduce distance and samefinger. A; with Hand Shift increases distance, and of course, both A; versions leaves the ED mess and just moves it to a weaker finger, so you'd pretty much need to swap that out as well, which takes us right back to where we started.

Though, as I said before, if you are fine with T in the E position you can get away with a three key swap. T/E and then E/K or E/L.



So, T swaps from least to most: TS > TEK or TEL > Minimak 4-Key or LurE ST >>> Tarmak Stage-2 > Minimak 8-Key > ETC.

Stats (based on zxcvb being typed Ring Middle Index Index Index)

+================+==============+=============+=================+====================================+
|    Summary     | Keys Changed | Same Finger | Distance Meters |               Notes                |
+================+==============+=============+=================+====================================+
| QWERTY         |            0 |       39170 |         24841.2 |                                    |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| EL             |            2 |       27710 |         22596.3 | EL swap for comparison             |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| TS             |            2 |       36617 |         23907.9 |                                    |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| TEK            |            3 |       26351 |         21518.7 | Minimak minus the TD swap.         |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| TEL            |            3 |       23223 |         22339.0 | Unbalanced L.Index SameFinger.     |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| LurE ST        |            4 |       17170 |         22454.5 | 2 Keys use Alternate Fingering.    |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| Minimak 4-Key  |            4 |       26351 |         20229.5 |                                    |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| Tarmak Stage-2 |            7 |       29374 |         17868.3 | Stage-1 doesn't change T position. |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+
| Minimak 8-Key  |            8 |       26351 |         17371.4 | Changes from 4-Key, swaps NJ LO.   |
+----------------+--------------+-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------+

+================+==============+=========+========+==========+=========+=========+==========+========+=========+=======+
|   SameFinger   | Keys Changed | L.Pinky | L.Ring | L.Middle | L.Index | R.Index | R.Middle | R.Ring | R.Pinky | Total |
+================+==============+=========+========+==========+=========+=========+==========+========+=========+=======+
| QWERTY         |            0 |    1141 |    497 |    11369 |   10736 |    6392 |     1626 |   4563 |    2846 | 39170 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| TS             |            2 |    1141 |    448 |    11369 |    8232 |    6392 |     1626 |   4563 |    2846 | 36617 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| TEK            |            3 |    1071 |    497 |      148 |    6823 |    6392 |     4091 |   4563 |    2766 | 26351 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| TEL            |            3 |    1013 |    497 |      148 |    8391 |    6392 |     1626 |   2315 |    2841 | 23223 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| LurE ST        |            4 |    1013 |    448 |     4678 |    1453 |    2106 |     2316 |   2315 |    2841 | 17170 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| Minimak 4-Key  |            4 |    1071 |    497 |      148 |    6823 |    6392 |     4091 |   4563 |    2766 | 26351 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| Tarmak Stage-2 |            7 |    1121 |    497 |       39 |    8987 |    7289 |     4091 |   4563 |    2787 | 29374 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+
| Minimak 8-Key  |            8 |    1071 |    497 |      148 |    6823 |    6392 |     4091 |   4563 |    2766 | 26351 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+-------+

+================+==============+=========+========+==========+=========+=========+==========+========+=========+=========+
|   Distance M   | Keys Changed | L.Pinky | L.Ring | L.Middle | L.Index | R.Index | R.Middle | R.Ring | R.Pinky |  Total  |
+================+==============+=========+========+==========+=========+=========+==========+========+=========+=========+
| QWERTY         |            0 |   988.7 |  680.8 |   3265.3 |  6672.1 |  5864.6 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2547.8 | 24841.2 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| TS             |            2 |   988.7 |  680.8 |   3265.3 |  5738.9 |  5864.6 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2547.8 | 23907.9 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| TEK            |            3 |  1024.0 |  680.8 |   2508.6 |  4119.2 |  5864.6 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2499.6 | 21518.7 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| TEL            |            3 |   999.5 |  680.8 |   2508.6 |  4917.6 |  5864.6 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2546.1 | 22339.0 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| LurE ST        |            4 |   999.5 |  680.8 |   2862.9 |  4258.5 |  5125.1 |   3523.0 | 2458.7 |  2546.1 | 22454.5 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| Minimak 4-Key  |            4 |  1024.0 |  680.8 |   1219.5 |  4119.2 |  5864.6 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2499.6 | 20229.5 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| Tarmak Stage-2 |            7 |  1012.3 |  680.8 |    608.2 |  3963.8 |  4260.4 |   2363.2 | 2458.7 |  2520.9 | 17868.3 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
| Minimak 8-Key  |            8 |  1024.0 |  680.8 |   1219.5 |  4119.2 |  4019.8 |   2363.2 | 1445.4 |  2499.6 | 17371.4 |
+----------------+--------------+---------+--------+----------+---------+---------+----------+--------+---------+---------+
Last edited by cevgar (09-Mar-2017 17:25:17)
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