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
Both are programmed with the same layout, so the small differences in how both are labelled don't really matter. Up until last week, I was using one as my daily driver on my Windows box - the other is still connected to my Mac mini, which I use daily but not as my primary computer. I have started using an ErgoDox as my daily driver.
Personally, I love the columnular layout of the TECK. I find I am significantly more accurate at touchtyping than on a staggered keyboard, including the number row. I love the compact size, but it has a decent heft due to the steel plate in it. I've used it regularly, both on a desk and on my lap, and both positions work really well for me. I do wish there was some tenting, so I wouldn't need to rotate my wrists to be completely horizontal, but for the most part, it's a minor gripe compared to rest of the benefits.
Note, this was not my first ergonomic keyboard, so I was already used to the angled layout, and was used to hitting backspace with my left thumb, and hitting enter with my right thumb.
Here's my current custom layout (Dvorak on the main, and Qwerty on the alt): https://www.trulyergonomic.com/store/layout-designer--configurator--reprogrammable--truly-ergonomic-mechanical-keyboard/#KTo7PD0+P0BBQkNERUw5SN4pNR4fICEi4SMkJSYnLzArMTQ2NxMc3wkKBhUPOC7gBBIIGAwrBwsXERYt4TMUDQ4b4wUQGhkd5ePiSktOTSooLFBSUU/mZQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFRVVgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX2BhVwAAAAAAAAAAAABcXV5XAAAAAAAAAAAAWVpbWAAAAAAAAAAAWGIAYwAAAACTAQAMAiMBAAwBigEADAIhAQAMAZQBAAwBkgEADAGDAQAMALYBAAwAzQEADAC1AQAMAOIBAAwA6gEADADpAQAMALhJR0YAAAAAAACt4a4AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADEmJ0tKAAAAUFFSTwApOFBRUk8tAAAAAAAAAC4vME5NAAAAAAAAACooLAAAAAAAACk6Ozw9Pj9AQUJDREVMOUjeKTUeHyAhIuEjJCUmJy0uKzEUGggVF98cGAwSEy8w4AQWBwkKKwsNDg8zNOEdGwYZBeMREDY3OOXj4kpLTk0qKCxQUlFP5mUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABUVVYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF9gYVcAAAAAAAAAAAAAXF1eVwAAAAAAAAAAAFlaW1gAAAAAAAAAAFhiAGMAAAAAkwEADAIjAQAMAYoBAAwCIQEADAGUAQAMAZIBAAwBgwEADAC2AQAMAM0BAAwAtQEADADiAQAMAOoBAAwA6QEADAC4SUdGAAAAAAAAreGuAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAxJidLSgAAAFBRUk8AKThQUVJPLQAAAAAAAAAuLzBOTQAAAAAAAAAqKCwAAAAAAAA=