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
I think what these really need, more than anything else though, is a standard stem. Thing is, I think I have a simple, and very easy to implement solution for the issue of needing to "blackout" the MX switch stem color...
As an alternative for blacking out the color of the switch stem, a small matte rectangular vinyl sheet with a stem cross cutout in the center could be optionally installed on top of the colored MX stem to black-out the natural color of the key stems (not needed for black, of course). They could be die cut, if order quantities are sufficient to justify tooling costs. Who knows... Maybe a product like this already exists, I don't know? I'd say that the common vinyl stickers that some hardcore keyboard enthusiasts use on the housings proves that a stem blackout sticker could be a viable item. Also, considering a quick search shows a sheet of 120 stickers is, what, $7-ish... it'd be cheap enough to be feasible. Stem blackout stickers would allow standard round stems on the key caps, but still allow the MX switch stem color to be blacked out. From what I've read, I think a lot of the typing discomfort, is actually from typing with no lateral force... Just a pure downward stroke. Some people have stated that the odd rectangular stems of these keys are binding against the MX switch housings, and switching to normal stems ought to correct that. That could possibly fix a good portion of the odd "typing feel".
I really would pay more for a better design for these, though. Doubleshot legends, normal round stem, vinyl stem blackout stickers to eliminate the need for those odd rectangular stems, and a couple alternate layout/media key options. I'd easily pay double the price, and not even blink an eye, if those changes were implemented. Something for the manufacturer to consider for future drops...