I saw this video about 8 months ago...And I thought like who tf is this man, how can he use it and remember all shortcuts?!? Now after 5 months of using my Planck, I just want to say thank you very much for showing me this awesome thing! I've just ordered parts for my second 40% ortho :).
It's a hella fun rabbit hole to go down. One year later for me and I have two handbuilts, one of which is a split from Keeb.io and the other an ortholinear from Drop. Then I found out I could plug these into my phone using an OTG cable... Oh ho ho! So now I'm taking this little rainbow keyed Preonic into the office rather than my laptop now. :)
I think you have to make one yourself. I think it could be used if you could do some alpha key tap/hold layering. I've wondered about that kind of layering for a while, but never tried it out. The Pain27 would probably force me to do it, and I could finally test it :D I theorized that you could do mods or layer changes on unused english bigrams (much like modal changes in vim using 'jk' or 'fd'), or you could do holding mods on double taps of certain keys. Imagine being able to hold z to change layers, but if you tap it, it's just z. Or if you type 'jkc' the next key you press would have CTRL as a modifier for it. Creativity is found in limitation, and I think there are few keyboards more limiting than the Pain27! :D
from my gaming perspective as a leftie, i used arrow keys and buttons around them for ages now, and trust me, ortholinear is comfy! staggered layouts are so hard-wired into our minds, people need to focus on this and change it
For me, the biggest part of using a tiny keyboard is the mandate that your thumbs participate more in the action. Every keypress can be within one key of the home row, and it's your job to make that both memorable and easy. There's a lot of work that goes into figuring out what exactly works for you, but I think this video provides exactly the basis you need for that. No tutorials on setting up his exact key layout, no best practices for you to observe, just him telling us some cool things about his keymap and how he uses it.
I finally understand it. Everytime we see something that we dont understand, the first reaction is to think "this people is stupid" but if they do it that way, its probably for a reason. I am not saying I will switch to a 40%, because I dont have the need or the desire to, but, at least, now I know how it works and makes more sense.
Layers can seem scary, until you realise we all use layers on traditional keyboards, with shift and sometimes alt. Think how annoying it would be if every different symbol and even lower/upper case letter were its own key! You'd have like 150+ keys, massive, moving all over the place, super slow. 40% Planck keyboards basically just add another few layer keys to make it even more efficient.
This is the first mechanical keyboard video that I've seen that has talked about 40% ortho keyboards for the purpose of maximising efficiency. Very interesting video!
I just moved from a 60% to a 40% a couple weeks ago, and I don't think I could ever go back now. People always ask why it I would want something so small or something that is missing so much, but having the layers just makes far more sense than having a big ass keyboard.
The great thing is that there are lots of options available. There are tenkeyless (missing only the number pad), and 60% (only keys from ~ to backspace and below). Now, there are more that fall in between and include arrows, functions, and page clusters fitted into the 60% form factor. The real power is in the programmability helping you get your work done faster. You can get that out of a basic mechanical keyboard, even if it's full size.
Wouldn't work very well for gamers, for example, or anyone who is using only one hand. A modifier key at one end of the keyboard and need the character while holding that modifier at the other end doesn't work too well when you're using one hand. I'm speaking specifically about 40%s and it might actually work for some people for specific games. I use a 60% because I don't use function keys in any of the games I play and I love the space it frees up and how easy it is to transport. But I definitely use my number row and I can't be moving too many fingers for one key press so modifiers to make my important, regularly used keybinds work is a no go for me. Some keyboard shortcuts such as push to mute, mute game, etc that are not intense gameplay keybinds can obviously use modifiers and more complicated keybinds but that's something else.
@@Sinehmatic To each their own poison. A QMK programmable full size board can do the same magic tricks. Just need to get creative with your spacebar. Chopping that up is long overdue
Instead of reaching far away for key in vi, it is possible to just hit ^[ ( and opening square bracket). This works in vanilla vi and many other *ux command line tools.
Interesting. I don't ever see myself going to a 40% layout but your reasoning behind it makes so much sense. But why did you choose to have a grid-like layout for your keys when a 40% layout could have still kept the traditional 'diagonal' layout? The slight different in switching to a grid-like layout must have thrown off your muscle memory.
Actually I found the transition from horizontal stagger to grid to be extremely smooth. ZXCV keys are notorious because they move the most, but after a day I was totally fine. I even went further and staggered vertically with my latest design, Signum 3 ruclips.net/video/xisWlKNjoU4/видео.html
I feel like 40 percents are a whole new type of hobby itself, not only 40 but just something like a custom acrylic laser cut cases with wonky layouts that divert from ansi such as the lily or levinson/lets split. You start learning about how to program pcbs and manufacture a new one which is insane. You start learning how to cnc and just start looking over the aspect of group buys and modding a keyboard until it’s full of things that aren’t keyboard.
I hope you're not talking about me specifically because that would mean more people are doing this. You are exactly right, and I think 40 percent keyboards are an invitation to rethink the concept of input devices. We've been far too long with then >100 year old design, and we're only not looking for ways to improve, and this is causing us to question all our preconceptions. "If I'm carrying around my custom keyboard, what else can I carry around? A USB drive? My passwords? An entire computer?" "My keyboard can do macros to automate basic functions and navigation on my computer, what else can it automate? Mouse movements? Combinations of the two? Can my macros change based on what program I'm working in at the time?"
great explanation, after owning a using a Anne pro 2 for a while now I am going to buy a PLANCK EZ. Layering is brilliant and I can never go back to full size.
As a former programmer I find this keyboard of no practical use. I'm not sure if I ever used Vim. If I did, it was probably on a terminal in college decades ago. I don't buy the argument that it's going to make you any more productive. If anything any small amount of time you save would be dwarfed by the time it takes to remember the combinations or correcting mistakes because you hit the keys in the wrong combination or timing. Most of the time in programming is studying code and thinking, it's not straight robotic typing like you see in sensationalized clips of hackers in dark rooms wearing sunglasses and hoodies. A Timex-Sinclair keyboard has fewer keys and makes more sense than this.
Your video changed my perspective in many things. Being a designer, your quote that design follows the form resonates very well with many things we are conformed because of how its designed. And the potential of the human mind to change that landscape, to rethink, relearn. And I dont ever leave comments on RUclips. You are my very first. Just cause, your very video reached out in many ways besides the title. Thanks!
I have been using my planck over the past year as a software engineer and I will never go back to any otger keybaord. It is awesome and I am using blanck keycaps.
What an awesome explanation. The background was absolutely great. I just started down the road to smaller keyboards. I have my first 60% in the mail right now and then stumbled upon 40%. When I was looking at 60% I initially didn't understand at all.... but this video even just made me understand that even better. It's also a cool idea to just use vim controls... everywhere..
And here am I watching this video with my IBM Model F122... Its hard to believe that somebody actually likes 40% keyboard but here you are and a lot of people in the coment section aswell!
I would totally get into new layouts and keyboard types, but the problem is that ai would be unable to work on a keyboard say, in a library, at school, at a friend’s house etc. Same thing happens when I change my bindings in games significantly and can’t play at my friends’ houses.
You could learn the new keyboard layout, then relearn QWERTY so you can still type on a standard keyboard. But look into it more if you actually want to switch. Or, take your preferred ortholinear or vertical staggered keyboard and your game key bind config along with you in a USB stick (don't forget it :) You could have your preferred key layout in that custom keyboard XD
Penny for the Guy! The Glider was adopted as a symbol for a group of computer users years ago, and I've been carrying it forward. I love the concept of an emergent complexity or behavior off random inputs and simple rules. Like the Mandelbrot Set.
one thing that has always baffled me is how much real estate of the keyboard is meant to be covered by our pinkies. Thumbs and index fingers are the strongest and yet they are very underutilized. Is there any reason why people never use keys such as f or g as function keys when pressed in combination with other letters?
There's a problem with slurring keys if you type a lot of prose. I've been interested in testing something similar for less used keys like Q (followed by something other than U) and Z. Modern firmwares support keys that do one thing when tapped, and another thing when held while another key is pressed. Definitely needs more testing.
I'm actually testing a z tap/hold for use with hjkl for gui+arrows (window navigation). So far it has worked quite well, I'll update you if I run into issues
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Cool! yeah feel free to make vids about it! I'm very curious about these kind of experiments. I've also been wondering about another idea. Has anyone ever tried reprogramming a keyboard so that the key press is only registered at release time? Aside from delete, most times you don't need to type a character in rapid succession by holding. So one idea could be make almost every key a function key on hold and a character key on release. I guess it would be pretty weird, but think of all the combinations that would suddenly be available.
@@zwanzikahatzel9296 This is very interesting. But I'm pretty sure QMK has something similar... Check out the leader key setting... The standard is that the OS handles the key repetition and the keyboard only reports makes and breaks, but I might have to try this with a custom firmware.
So as a beginner just starting to learn programming (and also English classes 😅 sorry guys using google translator😎👍🏻) you are confirming that I should not be afraid of a 60% keyboard as my first programming keyboard (I have a Razer keyboard Opto-Mechanical but they are very noisy *purple switches* 😖) for that reason I want a smaller one with brown switches, but in my city there are only 60% and not the famous TKL (well, not with brown switches 😞) but My fear is that there are many programmers on RUclips and in the Internet forums that do not recommend it, they explain it as if it were the exclusive C++ forum (yes, I am from that group that did not understand the joke either because they criticize/hate the C++ language , I don't know what migraine I'm missing 😅, since I'm still very new, I barely go with basic Javascript 😞😞😞😞) so, someone can *ayudar me*
A 60% is fine as long as the arrow keys are easy to get to, or you use an IDE/editor where the arrow keys are not needed like Vim or Emacs. Many plugins can do this. You will honor the spirit of the smaller keyboard, and moving your hands less by making arrow and navigation keys on your home row whether by keyboard hardware or by software on your operating system or plugins in your IDE/editor.
I came for the 40 percent keyboard and stayed for the cool voice tune, I have big issues with auidio, and your audio was clean. Yes the quality might be bad, but it doesn not matter because bny the end of the day the most impornat thing is the audio, so thank you for making that be cool, and good enough to hear with out any issues!
Hey for a keeb that is semi programmable is the vortex core. (Ordered one! Should get here today.) It has some cool stuff like the function stuff the second use is in the front of the keycaps. Cool stuff
I like that Vortex added programmability without software, but I can't go back after QMK and EasyAVR. There are just too many features in there. It makes the Poker's and Vortex's programming look like nothing. Obviously, it's a bit more complex though! Look up Easy AVR to see how easy it can be, and look up QMK to see how powerful it can be! There IS someone who installed QMK on his vortex...
I've been wondering what's the deal with 40% keyboards and ever since moving from a 100% to a 60%, I'm starting to appreciate layers and programmable keyboards and your video just got me really considering a 40%. I might try it someday. Thanks!
I didn't understand the true purpose of smaller keyboards. I thought they were made for either more space or to look better. Very helpful video thank you. I might buy a 60% now.
More space is a thing as well, I'm graphic designer and I use a big drawing tablet next to my keyboard, if I use a full size keyboard I have to keep my arms open in an uncomfortable position and I end up with neck and shoulder pain, a smaller keyboard solves that for me. And is also good for extra mouse space too. Most of my keyboard usage is software shortcuts on the left side of the keyboard.
I used to think 40% keyboards were cool and all but then I got a Gherkin and now my 40% keyboards feel too big. With well setup home row mods there's no need for dedicated modifier keys. I still use my 40's and even a much bigger 75key ortholinear from time to time but the Gherkin is my favorite tiny keyboard, at least until the Corne-ish Zen comes, that one is supposed to be the end all be all of tiny keyboards for me.
a 40 percent board is a bit much but i can understand your arguement. I am a software developer and I use a POK3R 60% board everyday at work and it is SO much better than a full sized. The caps lock button is my function layer key, and arrows are on IJKL which is actually WAY baetter than having to move my hand off the home row. having dedicated buttons for things i never use like function keys and insert and delete, is simply not worth the wasted desk space. I think the 60% board will become the new standard in a few years.
I haven't added a 40% to my collection, but I think I will have 2 by the end of the year. I think the short time in getting used to the layout will be outweighed by the benefits. I don't thing I could use one for every task I do on a computer, but for some things, I am really eager to give it a try.
My favorite thing to do with a 40 is to take it along with me so I have a handy keyboard I can use on my phone with a usb to go cable. Android phone support usb devices natively, and if I need to do some actual work on my server, I get all my macros, key combinations, and speed when I SSH into my server.
I scoffed at these when I first heard about them. 2 years later after using an 87 key with layers, I find I am using less that 50 of those keys. Plank EZ is on the way.
Nobody should ever use Dvorak, it's inferior to colemak in everyway. Colemak is mathematically more efficient, and colemak changes less keys than Dvorak, so ctrl z x c v all work on colemak
Why use "HJKL" for arrow keys rather than the home row "JKL;"? This seems more intuitive to me than moving all the fingers on your right hand over one space. Although I like having dedicated arrow keys for games, I may add this for web browsing and such when I get my White Fox.
Vim is the modern originator of hjkl as arrows (or nethack :)), so it is the standard that programmers develop from. However, if you do not care about vim or use hjkl, then jkl; is faster. I've tried to make the switch, but there is too much "software" in my brain that uses hjkl as arrows, and it's not that big of a problem for me, so I leave it. If you don't have those hang-ups, then by all means jkl; or ijkl!
I had made some money working with my uncle and ordered a Planck on an impulse, no knowledge of it, no idea how to touch type, no desire to learn a 40% board, just thought it looked cool so I blew my money on one and hoped I’d like it
Good video, and I'm a big fan of efficiency, but there are many use cases where a traditional layout is faster or more convenient. Number keys should be easily accessible; needing to use modifiers to type numbers, especially ones that are interspersed in text, is cumbersome. So are things like Ctrl+Shift+arrow, which are used often in word processing - adding an extra modifier there is impractical/awkward.
Convenient? Maybe. Faster? No. Less movement is less time. There is nothing faster about picking up your hand to move your fingers to the number row, and then back to the letters when your hand is already over the layer modifier to get to numbers.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Thanks for the response. It's mostly dependent on what you're typing. For many consecutive numbers / data entry, a (pseudo-)numpad is indeed faster. However, I think most typing (at least mine) involves numbers sparsely interspersed within text. The number row is still pretty accessible (you don't have to move your hand much, just stretch your finger) and it's faster to type those directly than holding a modifier, typing the key, and releasing the modifier in between typing letters. It's similar to the way Sean Wrona finds it faster and more convenient to toggle CapsLock on/off for capitals than hold Shift. Modifiers hinder your flexibility and thus your speed - e.g. when you're using your pinky to hold the number modifier, it anchors your hand in place and makes subsequent left-handed letters more difficult and slower to type.
The keyboard I'm using now is a 'ten keyless' IBM model M (space saver). I'm running Linux, and I know it's possible to remap the keys in the OS, for example I could move the left control key to where the caps lock is (and visa versa). I like the tactile feedback of the IBM bucking spring switches. I was considering trying out the HHKB, which is not much larger than your design. It doesn't have as many 'layers' in its layout as yours, but by editing a few configuration files, the Linux kernel and drivers can do the remapping. I think that before anybody invests the time to learn a new keyboard layout, they should first make as much use of keyboard shortcuts as possible. VIM and especially EMACS are richly endowed with these.
Congrats on the rare tenkeyless! They're really great! Xmodmap can do a lot for you in terms of keyboard control! I'd recommend rotating caps lock, left control, and left alt. That makes caps lock into alt, alt into control, and control into caps lock. Makes the more useful control more accessible to your thumb, and alt is tappable (you don't have to hold it down for most uses) on the pinky key. I know the HHKB, and I have a Leopold topre board, and while I do like the feel of the topre switch, I don't think I like the lack of sound. The board is n key rollover, so you can do layering on it with a custom controller. Yes, Vim and Emacs are both fully customizable input hogs. They'll pick up all your input no matter the keystroke (aside from some OS interrupt keys such as GUI and Ctrl+Alt+Del), but the goal should be to reduce chording wherever possible, or move to your thumbs where possible. This is why I like the custom ergonomic boards and the 40%, because your thumbs should be the only ones chording. But in Vim/Emacs environments, you should make use of modality (vim native, or evil in emacs) to assign regular old keys to your functions. Supplement this with a leader key layout like spacemacs does, and you can end chording entirely! If all of my work was in vim or emacs, I would have no problems. Unfortunately, I'm flipping through desktops, browser tabs, and windows, while trying to remember the keyboard shortcut for excel's recalculate formulas. The keyboard functions as a sort of translator to unify all your input across all these different things. You can program it with easy to remember shortcuts to Emacs, Chrome, Putty, and Excel. You can even set up layers specific to Excel so you have all your excel shortcuts on a layer you turn on whenever you're in excel. Tools like X-Mouse do this well by letting you change what buttons do based on the window you're in. So Mouse3+Scroll is a zoom in 3 different graphical programs even though each of those programs uses a different key combination for zoom. Unifying your input so you don't have to remember extra garbage.
Most people swap the caps lock with control, not alt, so that's a new one on me. I actually had three of these model M keyboards, two were found at a ham flea market for about $20 each NIB with the PS2 cord (detachable). The third was found on ebay for under $50, also NIB. One of them got zapped when the house was hit by lightning. I did manage to find a replacement control board, but one of the arrow keys and the left shift key never worked after that. Maybe something got fried on the key switch wiring. Anyway, I gave that one away to someone who thought they could fix it. So I still have a spare, but I might eventually have to replace the plastic rivets with screws according the the model M wiki.
@@scharkalvin Yes, I did a caps lock to control swap for a very long time, until I realized that any chording on the fingers is not good. Ctrl on the thumb is easier anyway especially if you have to reach when doing a control Y or similar. Sounds pretty lucky on those model Ms, the bolt mod is very popular.
I wouldn't recommend it, but here it is! www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/2b26cee77ba243e0e6b8e9d71efe7e21 I've also linked it at my website troyfletcher.com, where it will be updated from time to time.
couple of years ago, i saw this video and decided to order a planck flash forward to today, i'm typing this comment on a 30% keyboard. i'm using combos to backspace when i typo, i hold a to use ctrl and press enter to send the comment thanks for sending me down the rabbit hole, i never wanna come back
Glad to hear it! Check out my 40% layout video, and see if you can improve your layout (or leave comments on how I can improve mine!) ruclips.net/video/49iE37HOVbk/видео.html
Well... Size doesn't matter for these things then... It's about programmability and I do love programmable keyboards. I'm using the WASD for the arrow keys and I can't go back to any non-programmable keyboard anymore.
Exactly! I feel like so many people are using mechanical keyboards, capable of literally doing work for them, and they settle for the feelz, or the clack when they could be doing so much more. I'm planning on making a video with an introduction to some simple shortcuts for your programmable keyboard that save time and reduce movement.
Should have started off with the knight keyboard (like the Lisp machines had). It have roman numbers I-IV, a Greek shift key, a Front shift key, a Top Shift key, Control, Meta, Super, and Hyper, etc.
For as long as this video is, it doesn’t take much time to address the complex keyboard shortcuts that are baked into most applications. That’s my real concern.
Most users do not use ANY keyboard shortcuts, a smaller percentage use 5-10 shortcuts, and an even smaller percentage use more than that. The point is to program the keyboard to make the most used combinations one keystroke. Unless you're using something like emacs that uses all the keys on the keyboard, several times over (in which case you should probably use a different method of accessing those functions anyway). More info on that here: ruclips.net/video/49iE37HOVbk/видео.html and here: ruclips.net/video/8Q9YjXgK38I/видео.html (and you thought this video was long at 10 minutes? :] )
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I appreciate the links, even if they're long 😆. I give a lot of grace for live casts, and you give a lot of detail, which is difficult to write a concise script for. I think you're right about most people using 0-10 keyboard shortcuts, but something tells me that 40% keyboard users are NOT most people. 🙃
I practiced Colemak for some time, but fell out of it because I wasn't having any pain, and I was worried about some of my vim mnemonics. But now that I'm off vim, that's not really holding me back. Just need to set aside some time and go cold turkey.
I'm baffled by even the HHKB and the general trend towards 60%. Your arguments are sound, but I'm not entirely convinced essentially learning how to play the piano is a skill that programmers need. The question I ask myself is, is my speed of thought actually that fast?
With AutoHotkey you can do these things with any normal keyboard. So yes, it's a gimmick. Fewer keys isn't better, it's about the function of the keys.
Perhaps you're right (must admit I didn't watch the video). Didn't expect AutoHotkey be a problem though. The big drawback has to be that you get used to this completely custom layout that no one else has. That's reason enough for me to stick with standard layout, full size keyboards.
Autohotkey still has features you can't get out of a keyboard, and I think it's a good supplement to any workflow. The macros are very VERY extensive, and the mouse XY click is super useful for systems that refuse to be automated or accept keyboard shortcuts. Programming a hyper key on your keyboard really helps AHK to stay out of the overlapping shortcut space of the OS. That is certainly a drawback for many. Personally, I never had a problem going back and forth. I'm slow on the transition for an hour or so, but I get back up to speed. Part of why I like these small boards is you can just take them with you, but if you're in a situation where you can't, or you have trouble going back and forth, it's hard to justify. I type way too much on my own systems, so the benefits are staggering (no pun intended). I mean, I can even plug this thing into my phone with a USB-to-Go cable, connect to my server, and do actual work with all my shortcuts.
You made me want to go 40%. You should switch to Dvorak, if you want to move the keys to your fingers. I know it is a hard change, but now I am glad for it. _Persevere and triumph._ P.S. Did some thinking and although I probably one day get a DIY planck kit or something to try 40%, the benefit of closer number row is sort of lost by having to type them like capital letters, which I do not like too much. You finger moves less, but you pay by moving another finger. The numbers can be reached fairly well on a 60%, so for now I think the Pok3r (60%) with its Dvorak plus costum dvorak keycaps seems a good choice. Really nice keyboard you have, though.
I spent some time learning a programmer's colemak, but abandoned it after it messed with my Vim mnemonics too much. Now that I'm pretty much all emacs, it might make sense to try again. I think HJKL to JKL; is going to be the hardest. Decades of muscle memory there... I would cold turkey it though. I have heard many reports of people who mentally switch between layouts without issue. Maybe I can pretend to be one of those people. I'm already all in on the custom keyboard, so making my own layout would make more sense. I'm working on an ergo 40% with a number row, which is technically a 60%, but will still have more thumb keys for chording.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Wow an Emacs user. I tried that when I started on GNU/Debian/Linux too but all these keychords got the better of me, so then I switched to vim and love it still. I wonder if 40% makes emacs easier or harder. A thing to consider with changing the layout could be how much typing you still have ahead of you to make it worthwhile, and how many behind that will make the switch so much more difficult. Also one should wonder what is solved by it. If you go home with finger pain often, it could be worth it. If you need really fast speeds, it could be worth it. Otherwise the cost of the change might not pay out. I was a fairly fast qwerty typer, and therefore the change was difficult, but not with decades of heavy typing behind me. I think it took me years. At one point I thought it was not worth it, even while I was already blind typing Dvorak, but now i am glad for it and I'm sure i type both faster (430 hits/minute), and never any finger strain. I never even want to think of qwerty again, or see it, and still to this day I can not easily find the keys visually because all I ever did was learn dvorak blind typing and the qwerty memory still seems to be there visually to a degree messing it up. 'Where is the x exactly' ? I don't know, even though I just typed it ;-). I'd have to type it and stop my finger and notice. Odd isn't it. Good luck on your new keyboards, the programability on those seems wonderful.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I ordered the PCB of the Minivan hehehe. Playing with the layouts in QMK, reprogramming the Pok3r to simulate a 40%, puzzle puzzle and it seems it will work great on 44 keys.
Hm...I totally get the ergonomic benefit, but speed? I'm not sure. I did a quick 'net survey on the keyboard preferences of competitive typists, and I can't find a single one that prefers anything but TKL and larger. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place...could be, I guess.
The top 0.001% of the world are not my concern, nor should they be yours. Moving less is faster for you, me, and the other 99.999% One of the top in the world very famously turns caps lock on to make a capitalized letter, then turns it off because it is faster for him. He literally does 3 keystrokes instead of 2 because it's faster for him. We are not comparable.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yeah, I guess I'm assuming that if there's an inherent speed advantage in using the smaller keyboard, those whose only interest is speed would obviously want to exploit that advantage. The fact that they don't appear to be doing that makes me wonder--that's all. I also question the claim that competitive typists are different. Obviously they're faster, but this is only a difference in degree, not a difference in kind.
@@larsthorwald3338 I think I understand what you're saying, but professional football players do not practice with non-regulation balls because they might adapt their muscle control to a non-standard piece of equipment. I don't know the rules of these competitions, but I don't imagine stenos are allowed, as one keystroke is not one letter. There are competitive and equipment restrictions in place that do not apply to general computer use or building a custom layout to fit your typing needs. Regardless, the thesis stands. Reducing travel time is faster. The considerations and requirements of competitive typists are irrelevant to the pure physics of movement.
You can do this but the more buttons available, the more combos you have. Some people use one hand to type at times(like I am right now) so having layers on a comparatively big keyboard like a 40% or 60% makes more sense for me than making a 20% with stenography levels of utility. To add to this, 70% of the people who own or use a computer regularly are not going to remember a keyboard's qwerty layout, I struggle to remember any shortcuts at all and have to have keycaps with just the shortcut label as while I've memorized qwerty, I don't work on a computer 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Most I use a computer at work is maybe half an hour at a time on a work issued laptop. Don't get me wrong, I love layers and tap and hold, but the more keys on a board the more utility the board has. That said, 40% has some of the coolest keyboards of all time and I understand trying to justify their practicality. It's just that if your work space can accept it, why not fill it up with buttons for everything?
Peg board isn't stiff enough. I made it out of Ikea shelf backing (basically high density cardboard), and switches/caps from an old Dell AT101 keyboard. But at least I (eventually) sprayed it with some clear coat so it wouldn't melt in the rain. I recently revisited this keyboard and got it back up and running. 6 years going strong.
I'm having troubles deciding to go Ortholinear or Staggered. Staggered would be easier to used to while the Ortho would be easier, more intuitive for the numbers.
I write in a lot of languages at this point, but my latest focus is Javascript, PHP, and Python. Generally writing webapps, or automation scripts for boring processes. Usually automating dumb spreadsheet work :) Yes, all of my keyboards are DIY. I design, build and sell them at my website, troyfletcher.net
With I always try to use my mouse as little as possible, because for most tasks, it's slow. Once I figure out how to play an FPS game on my keyboard, I will. For development I try to NEVER use my mouse because it increases the time it takes me to do all tasks. The custom firmware on the keyboard also simulates mouse movements and clicks, you can use arrow keys to move the mouse cursor around, which isn't nearly as fast or accurate as an actual mouse, but it's great for clicking into a large area you can't keyboard-tab your way into.
I still don't think 40s are right for me as someone who can barely even manage to work effectively with boards without dedicated F-keys, but goddamn did you change my outlook on them regardless
Sooo the next question comes, when is the digital screen coming to the keycaps? That way we can just switch screens and see/know which keys are which 🤣🤓
Good explanation. I personally hate everything other than full size or TKL. I don't mind moving my wrists much. Plus I'm not a touch typist so none of this makes sense anyways.
Love this and thanks! I always a proponent for vi because you don't have to touch the mouse or use difficult key combos to do every possible operation you'd want in an editor. So I logged keystrokes for a few hours (in vim) and watched how many times I hit escape ... I couldn't believe it. Sure I don't touch a mouse, but my hands are all over the keyboard in wasted motion. I remapped immediately and got in on a drop for a planck to help force the issue. It will take time to get used to ortholinear keys, but I am already reconfigured so my hands rarely move in my vim config and I can't wait to have extra keys close by for more layers.
The cool thing is that these little guys can serve as programmable macro pads. You can even make a special layer for it for when you use it as a separate pad instead of a normal keyboard!
I saw this video about 8 months ago...And I thought like who tf is this man, how can he use it and remember all shortcuts?!? Now after 5 months of using my Planck, I just want to say thank you very much for showing me this awesome thing! I've just ordered parts for my second 40% ortho :).
Wonderful!
"day 12 after googling mechanical keyboard for the first time"
It's a hella fun rabbit hole to go down. One year later for me and I have two handbuilts, one of which is a split from Keeb.io and the other an ortholinear from Drop. Then I found out I could plug these into my phone using an OTG cable... Oh ho ho! So now I'm taking this little rainbow keyed Preonic into the office rather than my laptop now. :)
Once you fall in, you can never get out
🤣🤣🤣🤣 welcome my friend.
Probably the best explanation of the 40% keyboard I have ever seen. This is truly a terrific video.
Pain27 users: "Pathetic"
Always been a fan of the Pain27 :D
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I need to find out how to buy one. I have always wanted a ridiculously overpriced paperweight.
LOL
I think you have to make one yourself. I think it could be used if you could do some alpha key tap/hold layering. I've wondered about that kind of layering for a while, but never tried it out. The Pain27 would probably force me to do it, and I could finally test it :D
I theorized that you could do mods or layer changes on unused english bigrams (much like modal changes in vim using 'jk' or 'fd'), or you could do holding mods on double taps of certain keys. Imagine being able to hold z to change layers, but if you tap it, it's just z. Or if you type 'jkc' the next key you press would have CTRL as a modifier for it.
Creativity is found in limitation, and I think there are few keyboards more limiting than the Pain27! :D
@@ultimatecheeze9066 there is someone on etsy that sells kits, like 60$ when I got my kit.
from my gaming perspective as a leftie, i used arrow keys and buttons around them for ages now, and trust me, ortholinear is comfy! staggered layouts are so hard-wired into our minds, people need to focus on this and change it
For me, the biggest part of using a tiny keyboard is the mandate that your thumbs participate more in the action. Every keypress can be within one key of the home row, and it's your job to make that both memorable and easy. There's a lot of work that goes into figuring out what exactly works for you, but I think this video provides exactly the basis you need for that. No tutorials on setting up his exact key layout, no best practices for you to observe, just him telling us some cool things about his keymap and how he uses it.
I finally understand it. Everytime we see something that we dont understand, the first reaction is to think "this people is stupid" but if they do it that way, its probably for a reason. I am not saying I will switch to a 40%, because I dont have the need or the desire to, but, at least, now I know how it works and makes more sense.
Layers can seem scary, until you realise we all use layers on traditional keyboards, with shift and sometimes alt. Think how annoying it would be if every different symbol and even lower/upper case letter were its own key! You'd have like 150+ keys, massive, moving all over the place, super slow. 40% Planck keyboards basically just add another few layer keys to make it even more efficient.
This is the first mechanical keyboard video that I've seen that has talked about 40% ortho keyboards for the purpose of maximising efficiency. Very interesting video!
THE ULTIMATE VIM KEYBOARDDDDDDD!!! nice video keep it up 😀
at first I thought, "wow his keyboard is wonky", but not really, it's his keyboard.
switching between this video and Chyrosran22's video is amazing
I just moved from a 60% to a 40% a couple weeks ago, and I don't think I could ever go back now. People always ask why it I would want something so small or something that is missing so much, but having the layers just makes far more sense than having a big ass keyboard.
I still don't think i could commit but this is a very good explanation video on how you function key warriors are so efficient.
The great thing is that there are lots of options available. There are tenkeyless (missing only the number pad), and 60% (only keys from ~ to backspace and below). Now, there are more that fall in between and include arrows, functions, and page clusters fitted into the 60% form factor.
The real power is in the programmability helping you get your work done faster. You can get that out of a basic mechanical keyboard, even if it's full size.
Yeah, seems a lot to cram, in addition to relearning to type.
Wouldn't work very well for gamers, for example, or anyone who is using only one hand. A modifier key at one end of the keyboard and need the character while holding that modifier at the other end doesn't work too well when you're using one hand.
I'm speaking specifically about 40%s and it might actually work for some people for specific games. I use a 60% because I don't use function keys in any of the games I play and I love the space it frees up and how easy it is to transport. But I definitely use my number row and I can't be moving too many fingers for one key press so modifiers to make my important, regularly used keybinds work is a no go for me.
Some keyboard shortcuts such as push to mute, mute game, etc that are not intense gameplay keybinds can obviously use modifiers and more complicated keybinds but that's something else.
@@Sinehmatic To each their own poison. A QMK programmable full size board can do the same magic tricks. Just need to get creative with your spacebar. Chopping that up is long overdue
5:03
“Wanna see me do it again”
This is probably the best explanation for an ortho keyboard I've seen to date. Thank you!
Instead of reaching far away for key in vi, it is possible to just hit ^[ ( and opening square bracket). This works in vanilla vi and many other *ux command line tools.
Interesting. I don't ever see myself going to a 40% layout but your reasoning behind it makes so much sense.
But why did you choose to have a grid-like layout for your keys when a 40% layout could have still kept the traditional 'diagonal' layout?
The slight different in switching to a grid-like layout must have thrown off your muscle memory.
Actually I found the transition from horizontal stagger to grid to be extremely smooth. ZXCV keys are notorious because they move the most, but after a day I was totally fine. I even went further and staggered vertically with my latest design, Signum 3 ruclips.net/video/xisWlKNjoU4/видео.html
I feel like 40 percents are a whole new type of hobby itself, not only 40 but just something like a custom acrylic laser cut cases with wonky layouts that divert from ansi such as the lily or levinson/lets split. You start learning about how to program pcbs and manufacture a new one which is insane. You start learning how to cnc and just start looking over the aspect of group buys and modding a keyboard until it’s full of things that aren’t keyboard.
I hope you're not talking about me specifically because that would mean more people are doing this. You are exactly right, and I think 40 percent keyboards are an invitation to rethink the concept of input devices. We've been far too long with then >100 year old design, and we're only not looking for ways to improve, and this is causing us to question all our preconceptions. "If I'm carrying around my custom keyboard, what else can I carry around? A USB drive? My passwords? An entire computer?" "My keyboard can do macros to automate basic functions and navigation on my computer, what else can it automate? Mouse movements? Combinations of the two? Can my macros change based on what program I'm working in at the time?"
couldn't agree more! typing is all about efficiency.
great explanation, after owning a using a Anne pro 2 for a while now I am going to buy a PLANCK EZ. Layering is brilliant and I can never go back to full size.
Great explanation. Thank you!
Why u gotta be so smug
As a former programmer I find this keyboard of no practical use. I'm not sure if I ever used Vim. If I did, it was probably on a terminal in college decades ago. I don't buy the argument that it's going to make you any more productive. If anything any small amount of time you save would be dwarfed by the time it takes to remember the combinations or correcting mistakes because you hit the keys in the wrong combination or timing. Most of the time in programming is studying code and thinking, it's not straight robotic typing like you see in sensationalized clips of hackers in dark rooms wearing sunglasses and hoodies. A Timex-Sinclair keyboard has fewer keys and makes more sense than this.
It requires a lot of shortcut memorization, but I'm sure over time it'll become muscle memory
I think I'm good with the extra exercise it takes to do literally anything at all without layers of modifiers to go through
Your video changed my perspective in many things. Being a designer, your quote that design follows the form resonates very well with many things we are conformed because of how its designed. And the potential of the human mind to change that landscape, to rethink, relearn. And I dont ever leave comments on RUclips. You are my very first. Just cause, your very video reached out in many ways besides the title. Thanks!
I have been using my planck over the past year as a software engineer and I will never go back to any otger keybaord. It is awesome and I am using blanck keycaps.
What an awesome explanation. The background was absolutely great. I just started down the road to smaller keyboards. I have my first 60% in the mail right now and then stumbled upon 40%. When I was looking at 60% I initially didn't understand at all.... but this video even just made me understand that even better. It's also a cool idea to just use vim controls... everywhere..
Looks like a great way to make typos very fast
Learn it.
As a simple universal non-ESC way to escape, Ctrl-[ works exactly the same as the ESC key.
And here am I watching this video with my IBM Model F122... Its hard to believe that somebody actually likes 40% keyboard but here you are and a lot of people in the coment section aswell!
If I could run a model F without pain, and TMK firmware, I would.🤔😆
Hello, fellow F122 user!
Why I watched the whole video IDK
HE MADE THIS SOUND SO FUCKING INTERESTING
I would totally get into new layouts and keyboard types, but the problem is that ai would be unable to work on a keyboard say, in a library, at school, at a friend’s house etc. Same thing happens when I change my bindings in games significantly and can’t play at my friends’ houses.
You could learn the new keyboard layout, then relearn QWERTY so you can still type on a standard keyboard. But look into it more if you actually want to switch.
Or, take your preferred ortholinear or vertical staggered keyboard and your game key bind config along with you in a USB stick (don't forget it :)
You could have your preferred key layout in that custom keyboard XD
Are these conway gliders ? Take my like good sir
Penny for the Guy! The Glider was adopted as a symbol for a group of computer users years ago, and I've been carrying it forward. I love the concept of an emergent complexity or behavior off random inputs and simple rules. Like the Mandelbrot Set.
one thing that has always baffled me is how much real estate of the keyboard is meant to be covered by our pinkies. Thumbs and index fingers are the strongest and yet they are very underutilized. Is there any reason why people never use keys such as f or g as function keys when pressed in combination with other letters?
There's a problem with slurring keys if you type a lot of prose. I've been interested in testing something similar for less used keys like Q (followed by something other than U) and Z. Modern firmwares support keys that do one thing when tapped, and another thing when held while another key is pressed. Definitely needs more testing.
I'm actually testing a z tap/hold for use with hjkl for gui+arrows (window navigation). So far it has worked quite well, I'll update you if I run into issues
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Cool! yeah feel free to make vids about it! I'm very curious about these kind of experiments. I've also been wondering about another idea. Has anyone ever tried reprogramming a keyboard so that the key press is only registered at release time? Aside from delete, most times you don't need to type a character in rapid succession by holding. So one idea could be make almost every key a function key on hold and a character key on release. I guess it would be pretty weird, but think of all the combinations that would suddenly be available.
@@zwanzikahatzel9296 This is very interesting. But I'm pretty sure QMK has something similar... Check out the leader key setting... The standard is that the OS handles the key repetition and the keyboard only reports makes and breaks, but I might have to try this with a custom firmware.
So as a beginner just starting to learn programming (and also English classes 😅 sorry guys using google translator😎👍🏻) you are confirming that I should not be afraid of a 60% keyboard as my first programming keyboard (I have a Razer keyboard Opto-Mechanical but they are very noisy *purple switches* 😖) for that reason I want a smaller one with brown switches, but in my city there are only 60% and not the famous TKL (well, not with brown switches 😞) but My fear is that there are many programmers on RUclips and in the Internet forums that do not recommend it, they explain it as if it were the exclusive C++ forum (yes, I am from that group that did not understand the joke either because they criticize/hate the C++ language , I don't know what migraine I'm missing 😅, since I'm still very new, I barely go with basic Javascript 😞😞😞😞) so, someone can *ayudar me*
A 60% is fine as long as the arrow keys are easy to get to, or you use an IDE/editor where the arrow keys are not needed like Vim or Emacs. Many plugins can do this. You will honor the spirit of the smaller keyboard, and moving your hands less by making arrow and navigation keys on your home row whether by keyboard hardware or by software on your operating system or plugins in your IDE/editor.
I've been thinking about how an ortho can work for me, since I also spend a lot of time in terminal and vim. Thanks for the tips!
recently moved to the 65% keyboard i needed dedicated arrow keys but this is by far the best explanation on 30-40% keyboards
I came for the 40 percent keyboard and stayed for the cool voice tune, I have big issues with auidio, and your audio was clean.
Yes the quality might be bad, but it doesn not matter because bny the end of the day the most impornat thing is the audio, so thank you for making that be cool, and good enough to hear with out any issues!
Hey for a keeb that is semi programmable is the vortex core. (Ordered one! Should get here today.) It has some cool stuff like the function stuff the second use is in the front of the keycaps. Cool stuff
I like that Vortex added programmability without software, but I can't go back after QMK and EasyAVR. There are just too many features in there. It makes the Poker's and Vortex's programming look like nothing. Obviously, it's a bit more complex though! Look up Easy AVR to see how easy it can be, and look up QMK to see how powerful it can be! There IS someone who installed QMK on his vortex...
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards well I bought the vortex for gaming. I'm not disappointed 😂
5:39 Is genius. Even to this day lol
I've been wondering what's the deal with 40% keyboards and ever since moving from a 100% to a 60%, I'm starting to appreciate layers and programmable keyboards and your video just got me really considering a 40%. I might try it someday. Thanks!
First time such a layout made sense to me. Thanks.
>40% keyboard
>scroll lock still important enough to deserve its own key
Reading the keys to tell what they do is layer 1 bro, we're on layer 5 over here! :)
I know, just messing around :P
I didn't understand the true purpose of smaller keyboards. I thought they were made for either more space or to look better. Very helpful video thank you. I might buy a 60% now.
More space is a thing as well, I'm graphic designer and I use a big drawing tablet next to my keyboard, if I use a full size keyboard I have to keep my arms open in an uncomfortable position and I end up with neck and shoulder pain, a smaller keyboard solves that for me. And is also good for extra mouse space too. Most of my keyboard usage is software shortcuts on the left side of the keyboard.
ctrl + c also exits insert mode in vim, no need for escape :)
I knew about that one too, but typing jk to exit insert mode is extremely fast!
imap jk
I used to think 40% keyboards were cool and all but then I got a Gherkin and now my 40% keyboards feel too big. With well setup home row mods there's no need for dedicated modifier keys. I still use my 40's and even a much bigger 75key ortholinear from time to time but the Gherkin is my favorite tiny keyboard, at least until the Corne-ish Zen comes, that one is supposed to be the end all be all of tiny keyboards for me.
a 40 percent board is a bit much but i can understand your arguement. I am a software developer and I use a POK3R 60% board everyday at work and it is SO much better than a full sized. The caps lock button is my function layer key, and arrows are on IJKL which is actually WAY baetter than having to move my hand off the home row. having dedicated buttons for things i never use like function keys and insert and delete, is simply not worth the wasted desk space. I think the 60% board will become the new standard in a few years.
I haven't added a 40% to my collection, but I think I will have 2 by the end of the year. I think the short time in getting used to the layout will be outweighed by the benefits. I don't thing I could use one for every task I do on a computer, but for some things, I am really eager to give it a try.
My favorite thing to do with a 40 is to take it along with me so I have a handy keyboard I can use on my phone with a usb to go cable. Android phone support usb devices natively, and if I need to do some actual work on my server, I get all my macros, key combinations, and speed when I SSH into my server.
learning a layout is surprisingly easy when all buttons on the different layers are where it makes sense to you...
I scoffed at these when I first heard about them. 2 years later after using an 87 key with layers, I find I am using less that 50 of those keys. Plank EZ is on the way.
2:51 - wait, whatt??!? OK, I need to go look that up now, and stash it into the ol' .vimrc!
lol I came all the way from Tech Fairy to point out that you have Orion on your right hand
AT102W, i still have one of these, these are good boards, it's my spare board now mind you
I think you convinced me when I first saw this video. I'm now considering this to be my first build.
Thanks, this video was very useful for me.
super inspiring video, thank you
This is great. You might want to consider Dvorak or another layout for more efficiency.
Nobody should ever use Dvorak, it's inferior to colemak in everyway. Colemak is mathematically more efficient, and colemak changes less keys than Dvorak, so ctrl z x c v all work on colemak
Why use "HJKL" for arrow keys rather than the home row "JKL;"? This seems more intuitive to me than moving all the fingers on your right hand over one space. Although I like having dedicated arrow keys for games, I may add this for web browsing and such when I get my White Fox.
Vim is the modern originator of hjkl as arrows (or nethack :)), so it is the standard that programmers develop from. However, if you do not care about vim or use hjkl, then jkl; is faster.
I've tried to make the switch, but there is too much "software" in my brain that uses hjkl as arrows, and it's not that big of a problem for me, so I leave it. If you don't have those hang-ups, then by all means jkl; or ijkl!
I had made some money working with my uncle and ordered a Planck on an impulse, no knowledge of it, no idea how to touch type, no desire to learn a 40% board, just thought it looked cool so I blew my money on one and hoped I’d like it
Hardcore.
Good video, and I'm a big fan of efficiency, but there are many use cases where a traditional layout is faster or more convenient. Number keys should be easily accessible; needing to use modifiers to type numbers, especially ones that are interspersed in text, is cumbersome. So are things like Ctrl+Shift+arrow, which are used often in word processing - adding an extra modifier there is impractical/awkward.
Convenient? Maybe. Faster? No. Less movement is less time. There is nothing faster about picking up your hand to move your fingers to the number row, and then back to the letters when your hand is already over the layer modifier to get to numbers.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Thanks for the response. It's mostly dependent on what you're typing. For many consecutive numbers / data entry, a (pseudo-)numpad is indeed faster. However, I think most typing (at least mine) involves numbers sparsely interspersed within text. The number row is still pretty accessible (you don't have to move your hand much, just stretch your finger) and it's faster to type those directly than holding a modifier, typing the key, and releasing the modifier in between typing letters. It's similar to the way Sean Wrona finds it faster and more convenient to toggle CapsLock on/off for capitals than hold Shift. Modifiers hinder your flexibility and thus your speed - e.g. when you're using your pinky to hold the number modifier, it anchors your hand in place and makes subsequent left-handed letters more difficult and slower to type.
The keyboard I'm using now is a 'ten keyless' IBM model M (space saver). I'm running Linux, and I know it's possible to remap the keys in the OS, for example I could move the left control key to where the caps lock is (and visa versa). I like the tactile feedback of the IBM bucking spring switches.
I was considering trying out the HHKB, which is not much larger than your design. It doesn't have as many 'layers' in its layout as yours, but by editing a few configuration files, the Linux kernel and drivers can do the remapping.
I think that before anybody invests the time to learn a new keyboard layout, they should first make as much use of keyboard shortcuts as possible. VIM and especially EMACS are richly endowed with these.
Congrats on the rare tenkeyless! They're really great! Xmodmap can do a lot for you in terms of keyboard control! I'd recommend rotating caps lock, left control, and left alt. That makes caps lock into alt, alt into control, and control into caps lock. Makes the more useful control more accessible to your thumb, and alt is tappable (you don't have to hold it down for most uses) on the pinky key.
I know the HHKB, and I have a Leopold topre board, and while I do like the feel of the topre switch, I don't think I like the lack of sound. The board is n key rollover, so you can do layering on it with a custom controller.
Yes, Vim and Emacs are both fully customizable input hogs. They'll pick up all your input no matter the keystroke (aside from some OS interrupt keys such as GUI and Ctrl+Alt+Del), but the goal should be to reduce chording wherever possible, or move to your thumbs where possible. This is why I like the custom ergonomic boards and the 40%, because your thumbs should be the only ones chording. But in Vim/Emacs environments, you should make use of modality (vim native, or evil in emacs) to assign regular old keys to your functions. Supplement this with a leader key layout like spacemacs does, and you can end chording entirely!
If all of my work was in vim or emacs, I would have no problems. Unfortunately, I'm flipping through desktops, browser tabs, and windows, while trying to remember the keyboard shortcut for excel's recalculate formulas.
The keyboard functions as a sort of translator to unify all your input across all these different things. You can program it with easy to remember shortcuts to Emacs, Chrome, Putty, and Excel. You can even set up layers specific to Excel so you have all your excel shortcuts on a layer you turn on whenever you're in excel.
Tools like X-Mouse do this well by letting you change what buttons do based on the window you're in. So Mouse3+Scroll is a zoom in 3 different graphical programs even though each of those programs uses a different key combination for zoom. Unifying your input so you don't have to remember extra garbage.
Most people swap the caps lock with control, not alt, so that's a new one on me.
I actually had three of these model M keyboards, two were found at a ham flea market for about $20 each NIB with the PS2 cord (detachable). The third was found on ebay for under $50, also NIB. One of them got zapped when the house was hit by lightning. I did manage to find a replacement control board, but one of the arrow keys and the left shift key never worked after that. Maybe something got fried on the key switch wiring. Anyway, I gave that one away to someone who thought they could fix it. So I still have a spare, but I might eventually have to replace the plastic rivets with screws according the the model M wiki.
@@scharkalvin Yes, I did a caps lock to control swap for a very long time, until I realized that any chording on the fingers is not good. Ctrl on the thumb is easier anyway especially if you have to reach when doing a control Y or similar. Sounds pretty lucky on those model Ms, the bolt mod is very popular.
scharkalvin Autohotkey dude
I think I will jump right to using nokia 3310 keypad, so I can get in front line of using tiny keyboards!
Can you show us a graphic of the different overlays and modifiers of this keyboard?
I wouldn't recommend it, but here it is! www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/2b26cee77ba243e0e6b8e9d71efe7e21 I've also linked it at my website troyfletcher.com, where it will be updated from time to time.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yeah, pretty whack, but I have a better understanding of it now. Thank you so much
couple of years ago, i saw this video and decided to order a planck
flash forward to today, i'm typing this comment on a 30% keyboard. i'm using combos to backspace when i typo, i hold a to use ctrl and press enter to send the comment
thanks for sending me down the rabbit hole, i never wanna come back
Glad to hear it! Check out my 40% layout video, and see if you can improve your layout (or leave comments on how I can improve mine!) ruclips.net/video/49iE37HOVbk/видео.html
I think you just convinced me to make the switch.
I like the colour-coding
Well... Size doesn't matter for these things then... It's about programmability and I do love programmable keyboards.
I'm using the WASD for the arrow keys and I can't go back to any non-programmable keyboard anymore.
Exactly! I feel like so many people are using mechanical keyboards, capable of literally doing work for them, and they settle for the feelz, or the clack when they could be doing so much more.
I'm planning on making a video with an introduction to some simple shortcuts for your programmable keyboard that save time and reduce movement.
Should have started off with the knight keyboard (like the Lisp machines had). It have roman numbers I-IV, a Greek shift key, a Front shift key, a Top Shift key, Control, Meta, Super, and Hyper, etc.
For as long as this video is, it doesn’t take much time to address the complex keyboard shortcuts that are baked into most applications. That’s my real concern.
Most users do not use ANY keyboard shortcuts, a smaller percentage use 5-10 shortcuts, and an even smaller percentage use more than that. The point is to program the keyboard to make the most used combinations one keystroke. Unless you're using something like emacs that uses all the keys on the keyboard, several times over (in which case you should probably use a different method of accessing those functions anyway). More info on that here: ruclips.net/video/49iE37HOVbk/видео.html and here: ruclips.net/video/8Q9YjXgK38I/видео.html (and you thought this video was long at 10 minutes? :] )
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I appreciate the links, even if they're long 😆. I give a lot of grace for live casts, and you give a lot of detail, which is difficult to write a concise script for.
I think you're right about most people using 0-10 keyboard shortcuts, but something tells me that 40% keyboard users are NOT most people. 🙃
Now switch to Colemak and you will be a god.
I practiced Colemak for some time, but fell out of it because I wasn't having any pain, and I was worried about some of my vim mnemonics. But now that I'm off vim, that's not really holding me back. Just need to set aside some time and go cold turkey.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yeah I love it. I'm thinking about going back to the DH mod version just to see if I can kick up my speed a bit.
I suggest starting with a 60% with double printed functions on the keycaps, or 40% with doubleprint. It will save you time learning the layers.
I'm baffled by even the HHKB and the general trend towards 60%.
Your arguments are sound, but I'm not entirely convinced essentially learning how to play the piano is a skill that programmers need.
The question I ask myself is, is my speed of thought actually that fast?
With AutoHotkey you can do these things with any normal keyboard. So yes, it's a gimmick. Fewer keys isn't better, it's about the function of the keys.
Nope.
I've already gone through this whole process...
"I'll just swap caps lock to control"
Perhaps you're right (must admit I didn't watch the video). Didn't expect AutoHotkey be a problem though.
The big drawback has to be that you get used to this completely custom layout that no one else has. That's reason enough for me to stick with standard layout, full size keyboards.
Autohotkey still has features you can't get out of a keyboard, and I think it's a good supplement to any workflow. The macros are very VERY extensive, and the mouse XY click is super useful for systems that refuse to be automated or accept keyboard shortcuts. Programming a hyper key on your keyboard really helps AHK to stay out of the overlapping shortcut space of the OS.
That is certainly a drawback for many. Personally, I never had a problem going back and forth. I'm slow on the transition for an hour or so, but I get back up to speed. Part of why I like these small boards is you can just take them with you, but if you're in a situation where you can't, or you have trouble going back and forth, it's hard to justify. I type way too much on my own systems, so the benefits are staggering (no pun intended). I mean, I can even plug this thing into my phone with a USB-to-Go cable, connect to my server, and do actual work with all my shortcuts.
I'll stick with my normal keyboard thank you very much.
For me, a good keyboard is about build quality. I like the standard 104 key layouts, so that's what I use. What layout you like is personal.
But to explain it, let's talk about parallel universes
Layers.
Vim??? Nano, FTW! :-)
Seriously though. I do miss seeing the characters on the keys.
I'm working on a printed keycap set that coverss the whole layout and is easy to learn and use. Stay tuned!
You made me want to go 40%. You should switch to Dvorak, if you want to move the keys to your fingers. I know it is a hard change, but now I am glad for it. _Persevere and triumph._
P.S. Did some thinking and although I probably one day get a DIY planck kit or something to try 40%, the benefit of closer number row is sort of lost by having to type them like capital letters, which I do not like too much. You finger moves less, but you pay by moving another finger. The numbers can be reached fairly well on a 60%, so for now I think the Pok3r (60%) with its Dvorak plus costum dvorak keycaps seems a good choice. Really nice keyboard you have, though.
I spent some time learning a programmer's colemak, but abandoned it after it messed with my Vim mnemonics too much. Now that I'm pretty much all emacs, it might make sense to try again. I think HJKL to JKL; is going to be the hardest. Decades of muscle memory there... I would cold turkey it though. I have heard many reports of people who mentally switch between layouts without issue. Maybe I can pretend to be one of those people. I'm already all in on the custom keyboard, so making my own layout would make more sense.
I'm working on an ergo 40% with a number row, which is technically a 60%, but will still have more thumb keys for chording.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Wow an Emacs user. I tried that when I started on GNU/Debian/Linux too but all these keychords got the better of me, so then I switched to vim and love it still. I wonder if 40% makes emacs easier or harder.
A thing to consider with changing the layout could be how much typing you still have ahead of you to make it worthwhile, and how many behind that will make the switch so much more difficult. Also one should wonder what is solved by it. If you go home with finger pain often, it could be worth it. If you need really fast speeds, it could be worth it. Otherwise the cost of the change might not pay out. I was a fairly fast qwerty typer, and therefore the change was difficult, but not with decades of heavy typing behind me. I think it took me years. At one point I thought it was not worth it, even while I was already blind typing Dvorak, but now i am glad for it and I'm sure i type both faster (430 hits/minute), and never any finger strain. I never even want to think of qwerty again, or see it, and still to this day I can not easily find the keys visually because all I ever did was learn dvorak blind typing and the qwerty memory still seems to be there visually to a degree messing it up. 'Where is the x exactly' ? I don't know, even though I just typed it ;-). I'd have to type it and stop my finger and notice. Odd isn't it.
Good luck on your new keyboards, the programability on those seems wonderful.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I ordered the PCB of the Minivan hehehe. Playing with the layouts in QMK, reprogramming the Pok3r to simulate a 40%, puzzle puzzle and it seems it will work great on 44 keys.
The exact reason I moved to 60%.
Hm...I totally get the ergonomic benefit, but speed? I'm not sure. I did a quick 'net survey on the keyboard preferences of competitive typists, and I can't find a single one that prefers anything but TKL and larger. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place...could be, I guess.
The top 0.001% of the world are not my concern, nor should they be yours. Moving less is faster for you, me, and the other 99.999% One of the top in the world very famously turns caps lock on to make a capitalized letter, then turns it off because it is faster for him.
He literally does 3 keystrokes instead of 2 because it's faster for him. We are not comparable.
@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yeah, I guess I'm assuming that if there's an inherent speed advantage in using the smaller keyboard, those whose only interest is speed would obviously want to exploit that advantage. The fact that they don't appear to be doing that makes me wonder--that's all. I also question the claim that competitive typists are different. Obviously they're faster, but this is only a difference in degree, not a difference in kind.
@@larsthorwald3338 I think I understand what you're saying, but professional football players do not practice with non-regulation balls because they might adapt their muscle control to a non-standard piece of equipment. I don't know the rules of these competitions, but I don't imagine stenos are allowed, as one keystroke is not one letter. There are competitive and equipment restrictions in place that do not apply to general computer use or building a custom layout to fit your typing needs.
Regardless, the thesis stands. Reducing travel time is faster.
The considerations and requirements of competitive typists are irrelevant to the pure physics of movement.
Give this man a medal, he has every quality that someone needs for one.
That keyboard at the beginning was all sorts sorts of fucked up.
You can do this but the more buttons available, the more combos you have. Some people use one hand to type at times(like I am right now) so having layers on a comparatively big keyboard like a 40% or 60% makes more sense for me than making a 20% with stenography levels of utility. To add to this, 70% of the people who own or use a computer regularly are not going to remember a keyboard's qwerty layout, I struggle to remember any shortcuts at all and have to have keycaps with just the shortcut label as while I've memorized qwerty, I don't work on a computer 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Most I use a computer at work is maybe half an hour at a time on a work issued laptop. Don't get me wrong, I love layers and tap and hold, but the more keys on a board the more utility the board has.
That said, 40% has some of the coolest keyboards of all time and I understand trying to justify their practicality. It's just that if your work space can accept it, why not fill it up with buttons for everything?
my mechanical keyboard is so small and when im playing games my thumb hurts while pressing spacebar
Nice Dell AT101W. I have a black one. I didn't appreciate how great my planck was until I built a gherkin.
brother did you make this thing out of peg board and old terminal computer caps? holy moly lol
Peg board isn't stiff enough. I made it out of Ikea shelf backing (basically high density cardboard), and switches/caps from an old Dell AT101 keyboard. But at least I (eventually) sprayed it with some clear coat so it wouldn't melt in the rain.
I recently revisited this keyboard and got it back up and running. 6 years going strong.
Thank you, you made me consider a new thing.
Awesome!
you sound like someone that would narrate a book lol
I'm having troubles deciding to go Ortholinear or Staggered. Staggered would be easier to used to while the Ortho would be easier, more intuitive for the numbers.
Good ol Dell at101
What kind of key caps are those? Are the key caps y the keys are tilted?
what language do you write btw, and what kind of apps platform?,
btw this one is your DIY keyboard right?
I write in a lot of languages at this point, but my latest focus is Javascript, PHP, and Python. Generally writing webapps, or automation scripts for boring processes. Usually automating dumb spreadsheet work :)
Yes, all of my keyboards are DIY. I design, build and sell them at my website, troyfletcher.net
when you developing webapps,
did you using mouse for your pointer or the keyboards?
With I always try to use my mouse as little as possible, because for most tasks, it's slow. Once I figure out how to play an FPS game on my keyboard, I will.
For development I try to NEVER use my mouse because it increases the time it takes me to do all tasks.
The custom firmware on the keyboard also simulates mouse movements and clicks, you can use arrow keys to move the mouse cursor around, which isn't nearly as fast or accurate as an actual mouse, but it's great for clicking into a large area you can't keyboard-tab your way into.
You really just convinces me to build a corne split
I still don't think 40s are right for me as someone who can barely even manage to work effectively with boards without dedicated F-keys, but goddamn did you change my outlook on them regardless
Sooo the next question comes, when is the digital screen coming to the keycaps? That way we can just switch screens and see/know which keys are which 🤣🤓
Good explanation. I personally hate everything other than full size or TKL. I don't mind moving my wrists much. Plus I'm not a touch typist so none of this makes sense anyways.
Love this and thanks! I always a proponent for vi because you don't have to touch the mouse or use difficult key combos to do every possible operation you'd want in an editor. So I logged keystrokes for a few hours (in vim) and watched how many times I hit escape ... I couldn't believe it. Sure I don't touch a mouse, but my hands are all over the keyboard in wasted motion. I remapped immediately and got in on a drop for a planck to help force the issue. It will take time to get used to ortholinear keys, but I am already reconfigured so my hands rarely move in my vim config and I can't wait to have extra keys close by for more layers.
Typing speed has absolutely nothing to do with programming.
And here I was thinking I needed more keys.
The cool thing is that these little guys can serve as programmable macro pads. You can even make a special layer for it for when you use it as a separate pad instead of a normal keyboard!
How's it going with the tiny keyboards and the ortholinear layout? Still using it?
I've switched to an ergonomic 40% keyboard I designed, the Signum 3.0