Keyboard Layout: Dvorak vs Colemak: is it Worthwhile to Improve the Dvorak Layout?

[Xah Lee]

On Jun 17, 2:26 pm, Dotan Cohen <dotanco... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 20:43, Xah Lee <xah... at gmail.com> wrote:
> > u r aware that there are already tens of layouts, each created by
> > programer, thinking that they can create the best layout?
>
> Yes. Mine is better :)
> Had Stallman not heard of VI when he set out to write Emacs?
>
>
>
>
>
> > if not, check
> > 〈Computer Keyboards, Layouts, Hotkeys, Macros, RSI ⌨〉
> > xahlee.org/Periodic_dosage_dir/keyboarding.html
>
> > on layout section. Lots people all creating layouts.
>
> > also, you want to put {Enter, Tab}, etc keys in the middle, but I
> > don't understand from ur website how u gonna do that since it requires
> > keyboard hardware modification. e.g. r u creating key layout on PC
> > keyboard or are you creating hardware keyboard Key layout? The former
> > is a dime a million, the latter is rare but also there are several
> > sites all trying to do it. Talk is cheap, the hardest part is actually
> > to get money to finance and manufacture it. The latest one, which i
> > deem good, is Truely Ergonomic keyboard. It sells for $200 and is in
> > pre-order only now.
>
> I ordered the Truley Ergonomic keyboard, I waited for half a year
> after delivery was supposed to happen to request my money back. Too
> many delays, so in the end I bought a Ducky mechanical (Cherry Browns)
> instead.
>
> I am writing a software keyboard layout. I'm actually having a hard
> time moving the modifier keys (Alt, Ctrl) to a new location. If you
> know how to do that I would much appreciate some advice, I'll post the
> problem here or in private mail.
>
> Thanks, Lee. (or should that be Thanks, Xah?)

thanks. didn't know about Ducky keyboard. Looks good. Also nice to
hear your experience about Truly Ergonomic keyboard.

no actually i don't know how to make normal letter keys as (ctrl, alt)
modifiers. You'll need a usb hid remapper. (there's a couple for mac
os x i linked on my site but i couldn't verify cuz am now on a 6 years
old powerpc with outdated mac os x) For Windows, Microsoft made a
layout maker. I haven't used it so i don't know if it allows mapping
letter keys as modifier. Have you tried it?

i don't know much about the subject but from what i read am guessing
it's possible, because each key just send up/down signals. (whether
you are using usb or ps/2 makes a difference too.)

(am assumbing above that you want to put modifiers in normal letter
key positions. But if all you want to do is swap modifier among
themselves, that's pretty easy. Lots of tools to do that for mac and
windows.)

But even if you succeded in putting modifiers to letter key positions,
you may run into problems with key ghosting, because the circuits are
desigend to prevent ghosting on qwerty layout only (with mod keys in
their normal positions). Unless your keyboard is actually full n-key-
roll-over.

maybe some of these are useful info, but maybe you are quite beyond
that. Thanks for your info too. Good luck.

 just Xah