Once you start to explore the possibilities of programming a keymap, you’ll quickly find out that a lot of functions don’t really require dedicated keys. Using a thumb key as a layer modifier, can bring your arrow keys right under your finger tips on the home row, like on I J K L. The reason you see so many tiny keyboards (36-40 keys) on here, is a consequence of optimizing custom keymaps; more keys simply become redundant (everyone will find some kind of sweet spot here, 36 keys isn’t for everyone). Something like the Raise or Defy is a good place to start experimenting with that, with minimal barrier due to the familiar layout. I do recommend picking something with a thumb cluster at minimum, because that will really open up a lot of possibilities and flexibility in experimenting with your layout.
Wimads
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Your pinkies are weak, yet they have the most keys to handle on a traditional board. Your thumbs are strong, yet only operate one key on a traditional board.
Thumb clusters are used in many different ways, but most basic: put your modifiers there (particularly shift and ctrl), your pinkies will thank you ;) When you go for a smaller layout, layer modifiers become more relevant as well, which typically are put in thumb clusters as well. (but when you go down to small layouts, there is a whole deep rabbithole of layout design to get into).
If you want to keep it at row staggered, Dygma Raise is probably a good place to start. It will keep it fairly traditional, but split, with a thumb cluster, and programmabe; which are imho the 3 most fundamental ergonomic improvements to make.
2·1 year agoCheck out Bastardkb Charybdis ;)
Every language + keyboard setting combination in Windows has different behaviours. I recommend using the default settings for your region, because that allows you to still use a standard keyboard the way you are used to (your laptop keyboard for example) - in my case US-international layout + Dutch or English(Netherlands) language settings. Based on that keyboard behaviour I make my QMK keymap.
For diacritics I used the following approach:
- tap [ ’ ], then tap [ e ] results in 'e
- hold [ ’ ], then tap [ e ] results in é
- same for all other diacritics (" ë, ` è, ^ ê, ~ ñ)
- I found that a lot more workable than the default dead key behaviour of the Dutch keyboard settings. (allows to type é easily without making 'e annoying to type or vice versa)
- how to write that in QMK depends on your language and keyboard settings. Or you could base your QMK code on the ASCII approach (typing ASCII number on numpad while holding alt); I think (not 100% sure) that works universally for all language and keyboard settings. I just use windows though, so for other OS’s I’m clueless…
Nice, looking forward to the PCB design videos! I have a product design background, so the physical part of a keyboard design is no challenge for me, but I’ve found myself stopping short of turning some ideas into reality when I hit the wall of getting into PCB design…
I modeled this based on publicly available 2D drawings of choc switch and MBK keycaps. (only the tab with 1u keycap is accurate, the other sizes are just extrapolated from 1u). https://cad.onshape.com/documents/de7f3deb0f607e27e1e3b0a5/w/a5d7d9590f3d54af6134a42c/e/13311f5788e147dc81e0db27?renderMode=0&uiState=64a150bde27a2f1cb2146061
Dygma is probably a good place to look. They’re slightly “weirder” than your microsoft board; also a bit smaller, but configurability of the keymap completely compensates for that imho. But being actually split, with some extra thumb keys, is a good step up in ergonomics from the microsoft I think.
How useable do you find the extra outer key, and what do you use it for?
I’m working on my own TAIPO inspired layout, trying to make it more functional for CAD use, and for optimization of modifiers an extra key would be useful. An extra thumb key was my first thought though.