About the "you", don't feel discouraged. Everybody feels the same way when they start. It's not a bottleneck, even far from it. Because of its often use, it's going to become very easy to type, and probably as fast as some of the other fast rolls. Just give it some time.

Yes, I remember skimming over your locale variants thread recently and finding it a bit complicated to get into at that moment :P, but I did now and I'm interested. I forgot to mention that I've slightly adjusted my QWERTY layout over the years, to look like this:

`  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  0  [  ]
    q  w  e  r  t  y  u  i  o  p  -  =  \ 
     a  s  d  f  g  h  j  k  l  ;  ' 
      z  x  c  v  b  n  m  ,  .  /
                 Space

Shift

~  !  @  #  $  %  ^  &  *  (  )  {  }
    Q  W  E  R  T  Y  U  I  O  P  —  +  | 
     A  S  D  F  G  H  J  K  L  :  " 
      Z  X  C  V  B  N  M  <  >  ?
                   _

AltGR

²  №  é  ³  •  ‰     è     ç  à  °  ×
    æ  ê  €  ë     û  ü  î  ô  ö  √  £  µ 
     â  ä                 ï  «  »  ù 
                           ←  →  ¿

Basically, I didn't need the brackets to be so close while the dashes are so far so I switched them around, while replacing the underscore with the em dash (which I use often) and mapping the underscore to shift+space. I kept these changes on Colemak (excluding the AltGR map), so I have some experience modding PKL now.

As you can see, I had a similar idea as you did in your "Keep Local Symbols" variants to map French accented letters to AltGR + their AZERTY position, though I semi-randomly filled the rest with characters I thought I should use more often, but to this day hardly even remember they're there. I hadn't really thought of efficiency at the time nor considered other layouts that do this.

Which layout did you refer to that has é on a non-AltGR mapping? I see the Canadian one has it, but these days I only work on ANSI keyboards and have no room for unmodified é. As for the FR layout, I'm not convinced having accented characters so far from the home row is efficient. Given French letter frequencies, by placing Éé, Àà, Ùû, and Çç on their equivalent unmodified positions and placing dead keys in easy reach, it seems like standard Colemak has it about right?

Thanks for the encouragement. Time will tell, but I believe it's more of an issue with muscle development rather than familiarity with the layout, since I can easily roll the left hand equivalent, "waf", at full speed (even though I've never practiced it), because playing guitar made my left fingers much stronger and agile when it comes to rolling awkward combinations.

Yes, that's what we meant as well :) After a little while your muscles will remember these somewhat awkward at first key combos.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

For your right hand exercise, here is a pure right hand exercise of real words of nimbostratue

Right Hand:

jee jehu jejune jejunely jejunum jell jelly jellylike jemmy jenny jeon jeu jill jillion jiminy jimminy jimmy jin jink jinn jinnee jinni jo joe joey john johnny join joke jokey jokily joky jole jollily jolly jouk joule joy juju juke julienne jun junk junkie junkmen junky lee leek lei lek leke leku lemon lemony leno leone leonine leu leukon ley li lie lien lieu like likely liken lily lilylike lime limekiln limen limey limn limo limonene limuli limy lin line linelike linemen linen lineny liney linin link linkmen linky linn lino linoleum linum liny lion lionlike lo loin loll lolly lomein lone lonelily lonely loo looey looie look loom loon looney loony louie lull lulu lum lumen lune lunk lunule luny lye uh uke ukelele ukulele ulu um umm un unhelm unholily unholy unhook union unkennel unkink unlike unlikely unlink unyoke ye yeelin yeh yelk yell yen yeomen yeuk yeuky yill yin ylem yo yok yoke yokel yolk yolky yom yomim yon yoni you yuk yule yum yummy he heel heh heil heinie helio helium hell hellhole hellion hello helm helo hem heme hemin hemline hen henlike hey hi hie hike hili hill hillo hilly hilum him hin hinny hm hmm ho hoe hoelike hoke hokey hokily hokku hokum hole holey holily holk hollo holloo holly holm holmium holy home homelike homely homey homily hominine hominy homo homonym homonymy homy hon hone honey honeymoon honk honkey honkie honky hooey hook hookey hooklike hooky hoolie hooly hoy hoyle hue huh hulk hulky hull hullo hum hun hunh hunk hunky hyenine hymen hymenium hymn hymnlik ne nee neem nellie nelly nene neon neuk neum neume nielli niello nihil nil nill nim nine ninny ninon no noel noh noil noily nolo nom nome nomen nominee nomoi none nonheme nonhome nonillion nonimmune nonmen nonmoney nonoily nonunion nonyl noo nook nooklike nooky noon noumenon noun nu nuke null numen nun nunlike nylon eel eellike eely eh eikon eke ekuele el elemi elhi elk ell elm elmy eloin em eme emeu emu en enemy enjoin enjoy ennui ennuye ennuyee enoki enol eon eye eyehole eyehook eyelike eyen eyne ikon ileum ilium ilk ill illinium illume illumine illy imine imino immune immy in inhume inion ink inkle inklike inky inly inn inulin ion ionium ionone oe oenomel oh ohm oho oil oilhole oilily oilmen oily oink oinomel oke okeh ole olein oleine oleo oleum olio om omen on one onion oniony onium online only ooh oy keek keel keen keenly kelim kelly ken kennel keno key keyhole khi khoum kike kilim kill killie killjoy kiln kilo kilojoule kilomole kimono kin kine kinin kink kinkily kinky kino knee kneehole kneel knell knoll knolly koel kohl koi koine kolo konk kook kookie kooky kue kummel kune me meek meekly meikle meinie meiny mel melee mell melon mem meme memo men meno menu meou mho mi mien mike mil mile milieu milium milk milkily milkmen milky mill mille millennium millieme millime millimho millimole milline milliohm million milo mim mime mimeo mine mini minikin minim minimill minimum minion minium mink minke minny mm mo mohel mohelim moil mojo moke mol mole molehill moline moll mollie molly moly mom mome momi mommy mon monellin money moneymen monie monk monkey mono monohull mony moo mool mooley moon mooneye moonily moonlike moony moue mouille moujik moulin mu muhly mujik mukluk mule muley mull mullein mullen mulley mullion mum mumm mummy mumu mun muni munnion muon muonium muumuu my myelin myeline.

And for the left hand just in case anyone need it.

qat qats wab wabs wad wads waff waffs waft wafts wag wags wap waps war warcraft warcrafts ward wards warp warps wars warsaw warsaws wart warts was wasp wasps wast wasts wat watap wataps wats watt watts waw waws wax wrap wraps wrapt fa fact facts fad fads fag fags far farad farads fard fards fart farts fas fast fasts fat fats fatwa fatwas fava favas fax fracas frag frags frap fraps frass frat frats pa pac paca pacas pacs pact pacts pad pads pap papa papas papaw papaws paps par para paras pard pards parr parrs pars part parts pas pass past pasta pastas pasts pat pataca patacas pats paw pawpaw pawpaws paws pax paxwax pazazz pfft prat prats psst gab gabbard gabbards gabbart gabbarts gabs gad gads gaff gaffs gag gaga gags gap gaps gar garb garbs gars gas gasbag gasbags gasp gasps gast gasts gat gats gawp gawps gazar gazars grab grabs grad grads graft grafts grappa grappas grasp grasps grass grat aa aas ab aba abaca abacas abaft abas abba abbas abfarad abfarads abracadabra abracadabras abs abstract abstracts abwatt abwatts act acta acts ad adapt adapts add addax adds ads adz afar afars aff aft ag aga agar agars agas apart apparat apparats apt ar arb arbs arc arcs arf arfs arras ars art arts as asp asps ass at atap ataps att attar attars attract attracts ava avadavat avadavats avast avatar avatars avgas aw awa award awards ax rabat rabats rad radar radars rads raff raffs raft rafts rag raga ragas ragbag ragbags rags ragtag ragtags rap raps rapt ras rasp rasps rat ratatat ratatats ratbag ratbags rats rattrap rattraps raw raws rax razz sab sabbat sabbats sabra sabras sabs sac sacra sacs sad sag saga sagas saggar saggard saggards saggars sags sap saps sard sardar sardars sards sarsar sarsars sass sassafras sat satara sataras satrap satraps saw saws sax scab scabbard scabbards scabs scad scads scag scags scar scarab scarabs scarf scarfs scarp scarps scars scart scarts scat scats scatt scatts scrag scrags scrap scraps spa spar spars spas spat spats spaz sprag sprags sprat sprats stab stabs staff staffs stag staggard staggards staggart staggarts stags star stars start starts stat stats staw strap straps strass strata stratas straw straws swab swabs swag swags swap swaps sward swards swarf swarfs swart swat swats ta tab tabard tabards tabs tact tacts tad tads tag tagrag tagrags tags tap tapa tapas taps tar tarp tarps tars tart tartar tartars tarts tas tass tat tatar tatars tats tav tavs taw taws tax taxa tazza tazzas tract tracts trad trap traps trapt trass tsar tsars twa twas twat twats tzar tzars dab dabs dad dada dadas dads daff daffs daft dag dagga daggas dags dap daps darb darbs dart darts dastard dastards data daw daws dawt dawts drab drabs draff draffs draft drafts drag drags drat drats draw drawbar drawbars draws dwarf dwarfs zaffar zaffars zag zags zap zaps zarf zarfs zax cab cabs caca cacas cad cads caff caffs cap caps car caracara caracaras carapax carat carats carb carbs carcass card cards carp carps carr carrs cars cart carts casa casaba casabas casas casava casavas cascara cascaras cassaba cassabas cassata cassatas cassava cassavas cast casts cat cataract cataracts catawba catawbas cats catspaw catspaws caw caws crab crabgrass crabs craft crafts crag crags crap craps crass cravat cravats craw crawdad crawdads craws czar czardas czars vac vacs var vara varas vars vas vasa vast vasts vat vats vav vavs vaw vaward vawards vaws ba baa baas baba babas bacca baccara baccaras baccarat baccarats bad badass bads baff baffs bag bagass bags bap baps bar barb barbs bard bards barf barfs bars bas bass bast bastard bastards basts bat bats batt batts bawd bawds bazaar bazaars bazar bazars bra bract bracts brad brads brag braggart braggarts brags bras brass brassard brassards brassart brassarts brat brats brava bravas braw braws braza brazas brr brrr

Here it is.

Lessons For Colemak beginners
https://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?id=1047

I suppose it is an extraction from dictionary with filter, so it has some uncommon words that we never use.

@pafkata90

(Trying to type your name is a trial in itself (under Dvorak at least.) ) That's why I was asking Tony about the list.

From what I can gather most tutors start with the home row.  Focusing first on four characters in the home postion on each hand.  Then introduce the middle column.  Then move to the next row.  Perhaps doing one character from the same finger on each hand (on the same row.)  Then move to the next finger.  Introducing previously learnt keys.  Gradually building up to all the standards letters.

Perhaps that is a great way to map the layout, but maybe not so useful in refining technique?  The typing tutor's lessons just feel so alien.  I was pleased to get to the point where I could type normal text.

Anyway I'm interested as to the logic behind the word lists.  And if there are particular patterns that are good for honing one's technique.

I'd have thought that adding say my word list to a common corpus of text, might be a good way to build up each hand.  The single handed exercises are quite intimidating.

It would be nice if Nimbostratue, could explain the logic behind the workouts.

(I just translated the Right handed exercise -- the original -- into Dvorak, blimey - it's a long lesson.   I felt the method in the madness - as in patterns - as I worked through the text. Did 40WPS in it at 80% fluidity which isn't that bad.  A smattering of Colemak for me there, radically different to Dvorak as no P, <, > or ? (Qwerty positions) used.  I'd be totally lost attempting the  left hand exercise though. )

Edit: Shucks, that's 40WPM not 40WPS!

Hello everybody,

I’m quite impressed by your rapid progress Neuraxis. Me  I’m so far from this level and my progress are slower :(
I’m a french user and despite the fact that I’m totally agree with the colemak mapped method, The layout is not convenient for this language.
So I’ve build up a french version who tried to follows the colemark principles but the keys position can changes a bit. Maybe that could be interested somebody.

You can see the layout here :
~~( ε:>   https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6ZVS6 … kJ3dGo4Qkk    <:3 )~~

Maybe you wonder me why i put these ridiculous rats. aren’t they pretty ? well ok I stop joking...
So I decided to name it "rats".

It made first for french but i tried to keep it convenient for typing in English also and maybe other Europeans languages.
I’m glad to se your feedback. I’ve added the letter é who is very common in french and dead keys `, ¨ and ^ for mapping the others ones.
In this layout the num keys and symbols are mapped completely differently (like fn layer in the laptop but more powerful). This is optional. Need to add two  symmetric AltGr keys.
It’s optional and need two symmetric AltGr keys and remap Alt on Super key or Caps to be fully usable.
It currently tested with this online tool  :
http://patorjk.com/keyboard-layout-analyzer/
There are some bugs so use it with care. Dead keys are not supported. to avoid this I’ve adapted the input text : à is replaced by `a, ê by ^e and so on.

The "rats" configuration file for this tool :
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6ZVS6 … FhSY2dobEU
and the imput file (from "bépo" layout website):
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6ZVS6 … WUtQnpyVjA

My English is quite poor sorry.

Thanks for your feedback and interest.
The name come from absolutely by chance and I don’t care so much about that. If somebody give me good raisons to swap theses keys, I do it.
In fact I start to swap r and A at first because of the frequency of theses letters and I need to swap W and Q for french. The T and S swapping was do for avoid some Consecutive Finger Use combinations in french. That don’t remain true for English but in other hand improuve left index usage who is underutilized.

This work, was inspired by the frequency analysis for some european languages found here :
http://www.apprendre-en-ligne.net/crypt … index.html

It is firstly optimized for French but I want to be usable also for other languages as English. Because is not convenient for me to remember two layouts and switch between them. Which mean that I have taken into account for the placement of a few letters that did not really matter for the French (avoid T/H digraphs on the same finger for example).

I'm just not sure it's worth it? Swapping A and R when in my experience the pinky (with extra load) and ring fingers are about the same strength actually. Does it really pay off enough to be worth the effort?

The answer is and must be that it's about individual preferences. But still.

Update...

First off, thank you for your feedback everyone. I've been reading your replies silently, too lazy to post updates until now.

Layout

Here's what I'm using at this point:

I used a French letter frequency chart to edit the AltGR mappings, overwriting the characters I'd never use with French ones where I thought optimal. However, I realized I'm neither comfortable nor fast using my right hand to both hold right Alt and touch type, so I shifted é to the left hand and, along with à and ç started using it directly, and the dead keys for the rest. Thoughts?

Progress

Averaging 62 wpm at the moment. Still not my old QWERTY/pecking speed (90-100 wpm) or accuracy, but definitely comfortable enough.

Once I hit about 40 wpm, progress rate went down sharply, but I guess that was to be expected. I had sort of quit TypeRacer training shortly after posting this thread, alternating between the layouts in my day-to-day typing. 3 weeks later I went cold turkey and now I only use Colemak/touch-typing.

I may have underestimated the amount of daily races I was doing at the time. The increase was still about 5wpm per day, but the amount of races was more like 2 bursts of 20 races at different times of the day rather than a single one.

Observations

1. The layout uses the right hand a little too much for my taste. It just feels strange for that hand to be so busy on the alphanumeric section given that it's also in charge of the mouse, numpad and cursor keys.

2. This is more of a touch-typing issue: even now, my muscle memory has a slight tendency to mistake some keys for their mirrored position: for example, I'll mistake P for L or N for T. I'm steadily improving at it though.

3. With QWERTY, I've always used left Shift for capitalization. With Colemak, I got myself used to holding Shift with the free hand—this slows me down when typing series of caps that alternate the hands. I've never had a use for Caps Lock in my life, but this made me understand why it was there. Any tips?

4. I'm not trying to be stubborn and would have loved to be proven wrong, but my issue with "you" is confirmed at this stage. Those fingers simply lack the muscle strength to roll those keys properly, resulting in an awkward and slow motion. This is just something I'll have to cope with, no biggie.

5. I had to make a Team Fortress 2 script to remap all the keys properly. Here it is for any Colemaker who also happens to play TF2 (copy&paste in "Steam\steamapps\[accountname]\team fortress 2\tf\cfg\autoexec.cfg"):

   //Colemak keybindings
   
   bind w                                +forward
   bind r                                 +back
   bind a                                +moveleft
   bind s                                  +moveright
   bind SPACE                        +jump
   bind BACKSPACE                +duck //recommended if Caps Lock is remapped to Backspace, freeing up CTRL for another action. Otherwise, comment this line and uncomment the next one
   //bind CTRL                        +duck
   
   bind v                                +voicerecord
   bind j                                say
   bind l                                say_team
   bind z                                voice_menu_1
   bind x                                voice_menu_2
   bind c                                voice_menu_3
   bind f                                "voicemenu 0 0"
   
   bind ,                                changeclass
   bind .                                changeteam
   bind m                                open_charinfo_direct
   bind k                                open_charinfo_backpack
   //bind CTRL                        +quickswitch //possible use for CTRL
   bind i                                dropitem
   bind d                                taunt
   bind h                                +use_action_slot_item
   bind u                                showmapinfo
   bind t                                inspect
   
   bind p                                +reload
   
   bind g                                "impulse 201"
   bind n                                cl_trigger_first_notification
   bind e                                cl_decline_first_notification

Replies

@pinkyache: Indeed. I'm thinking of switching back though, because I find myself using the square brackets more than I thought. I wanted the hyphen to be closer, and the em dash in its shifted position, but it doesn't seem worth it now.

@Tony_VN: Thanks for that! While it didn't help with my "you" issue, the exercise immediately reduced my mirroring mistakes.

@ced: Before settling on Colemak, I was considering about 7 different layouts, which I ended up narrowing down to 3: Colemak, Dvorak and Bépo. Why? Because all 3 are well-established, with research to back them up. While I appreciate your work, given the time it takes to adjust to a new layout, I can't use one that's not proven to be optimal (by actual human testing, not layout analyzers).

@michaeljj: So your progress was exponential? That's impressive in its own right. Mine was linear until 40 wpm—then it went downhill.

Well, till next update!