Support for Alternative Layouts
This is a summary of how alternative layouts have been supported by kits such as Colevrak and Homing. It is not a discussion of alt layout performance and development, but if that interests you I highly recommend starting with Pascal Getreuer’s A guide to alt keyboard layouts (why, how, which one?). It’s a concise and comprehensive overview with links to some great sites that go deeper. He also has a separate Links about keyboards page. The Keyboard layouts doc he recommends explains layout goals and metrics in detail, summarizing the alt layouts discussed here as well as more than one hundred others. Sculpted-profile The majority of custom keycap sets are sculpted-profile (Cherry, SA, MT3, KAT, etc. - more on profiles generally here) so let’s start there. Because each row has a unique keycap shape, alt layouts require a unique keycap for each legend that moves off its QWERTY row. At first there were two The Dvorak layout was patented in 1936 by August Dvorak & William L....
Apr 23, 2024
Seems like these are easily available elsewhere for lower than the lowest drop price.
That link is pointing to the silver variation (the reflection between the keys makes it look gold). Silver is about $10 cheaper across the board but unfortunately we need to focus this buy on one color because we cant mix and match colors to reach the maximum price drop level.
I'm using the keys on a poker II on red switches right now and I'm uploading a pic so you can see the difference I mentioned. Everything left of the E, D, and C is silver, everything right of R, F, and V is gold.
Hopefully that makes it more clear,
On reds they make the actuation force quite low. I don't have anything to measure it with but reds with the metal caps are very easy to deal with. Keeping that in mind, I find myself having less accidental actuations than I did on the 45g topre I was using previously.
On the browns, the effect is a little more interesting IMO. The tactile feedback is still noticeable for sure, but I find it much less annoying than I normally do. The additional weight of the metal and the momentum created through the key press makes for a smoother experience that's enjoyable without becoming linear.
Hopefully that helps!