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    QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    • Started by HerbalNekoTea
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    • Registered: 12-Nov-2020
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    12-Nov-2020 12:22:10#1 QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    Hi, i am a Deskthority Discord user (hi to anyone from DT here). I am a heavy typist using QWERTY layout accross multiple layout (JIS, HHKB, ANSI, ISO, Asian 101) and i key switching keyboard between the mechanical keyboard i collect. I saw a youtuber video about him learning Workman in 3 month and in the end, recommend Coleman Mod-DH in the comment section.

    My typing style's unusual, i only and exclusively use the left shit key. So i tend to remap the right shift to something else if using a 101 keyboard for having the full key layout on that one (i do have a lot of UDEV remapping for shortcut on my personal layout (Yes, i use Arch BTW)) and also remap CTRL a 2nd time on Cap lock (never use that) so if i end up having to copy paste a translation project by hand, it's not much of an issue if i get tired.

    I also mostly only use the index finger to type, the left pinky for the left shift and the right pinky for backspace and enter key. The space bar's also activated using the right index. ATM, i can do 138WPM if i don't copy text but simply write from the flow of bullshit that my hand keep spewing. I am unable to do any regular typing test due to me having issue to recopying stuff fast (i stuggle when it's not my own composition). My goal's to be able to have a better speed when typing... for being honest, i am not very much slowing down due to typing speed here atm but more about how to simply thinking how i would word this sentence.

    I am still very interested to see if i can learn a new layout, but from what i can see, some layout focus on mainly using the same hand (while my typing style struggle if i don't keep switching hand every letter) but i would like to minimalise the travel if it's to gain myself a 25WPM increment... Which idk... I am just 27yo and touch type easily after 20 years of using a keyboard. So it's still far from me having muscle issue (ATM, i am mostly using Topre with BKE Dome Redux Heavy 65g Dome Replacment or NMB Space Invader Clicky 2 eyes black switch (Who's also super heavy) and got my hand on a Blue Alps NEC PC-8801 Keyboard that i am almost done having the converter soldered. (Should be done next night). So i can easily do heavy switch or go to lighter switch if i feel muscle pain. But the idea of increasing my performance would be something i would really like. Off course i got an improper typing style, hence why i am looking for something looking similar to my current typing style that could be colemak or anything else.


    Thank you for your input. Badum tsss...

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    13-Nov-2020 10:04:49#2 Re: QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    You use mostly pinkies and index fingers and want a good layout for a bad style? Well, I'd really recommend a better style if you want to help your typing. But if you insist on that you want an alternation layout like Dvorak, not a roll layout like Colemak. One of the things that makes Colemak very smooth to type on is rolling n-grams, so your style would counteract some of its advantages.

    Last edited by DreymaR (13-Nov-2020 10:05:11)

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

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    13-Nov-2020 10:09:13#3 Re: QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    Thank you, was not expecting DVORAK to be the answer. But from what i am reading, the speed improvement's not over the top. Which's sad. Well. Thank for at least replying, i was not expecting a reply after almost 24h. It did took me an heavy 17 years to learn to touch type. So learning dvorak might take me an easy 6 month to 2 years. So it's quite a challenge. I will think about it.

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    13-Nov-2020 10:58:34#4 Re: QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    Yeah, I agree that you may be looking for answers to the wrong question. Instead of saying, "here is my unusual technique, what layout would be a good fit?", you should take a step back and be asking "what layout AND technique should I be using?" 

    I used to do some of things you mention, such as overuse of index fingers and relying too much on left shift. I used learning Colemak as an pretext to also fix all the other things that were wrong with my typing. I think you should go with this approach too.

    Note, that with using an alternative layout, your speed may increase a bit, but generally not by a huge amount. The real gain is in comfort - which does rely on using a comfortable technique.

    Last edited by stevep99 (13-Nov-2020 12:00:22)

    Using Colemak-DH with Seniply.

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    13-Nov-2020 11:42:34#5 Re: QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    You'll pick up speed too. But how fast you'll improve and how fast you'll become is very individual. As SteveP says, the major gain will be in comfort.

    By the way, look at my BigBag and consider learning Extend. It's every bit as useful as a layout change and I'd say probably more so. You can use with any layout. And it's easier to learn and use.

    Last edited by DreymaR (13-Nov-2020 11:43:33)

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

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    13-Nov-2020 11:47:52#6 Re: QWERTY user here, looking to find a better layout

    If you do everything with index fingers then I would think Colemak not ideal for you, since A and O (3rd and 4th most common letters in English) are on pinky keys.
    So your hands are going to move around a lot.

    Cheers, Ian

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