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
Keyboard features I like, in rough order of priority but I think I don't want to compromise very much. Split isn't strictly necessary but does allow for tenting and negative tilt with a custom stand. I'm currently using a Microsoft Sculpt at work and a Das with MX Blues at home, and would like something better than the best parts of both of these two.
- Tenting
- Negative tilt (down away from you rather than up and away)
- Ortholinear/Column staggered/Symmetrical(Katana60) key layouts
- Multiple thumb keys
- 60% size ish. It's possible that I could switch to a 40% but I'm not sure
- Programmable w/ layers, and modifiers that don't need to be held
Here are the keyboards I've looked at that seem close.- I've looked at/tested an ErgoDox EZ, which is just a little bit too big for me, I wish the thumb keys were a full key width closer, maybe even more.
- I'm considering Keyboardio's Model 01, which I would put alternate feet on the near side in order to achieve negative tilt.
- I suspect the Dactyl will have similar issues to the ErgoDox for me re size and thumb placement.
- The Diverge 3, but it looks like it's thumb keys are still pretty far out.
- This person's custom keyboard, though it's 40%. I could build my own from scratch and hand wire it, but haven't made the leap to that assumption yet. https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/678axy/photos_maximum_laziness_ergonomics/
- This other custom build https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/3rzavc/vertigo_a_custom_ergonomic_keyboard/
I'd be up for building a custom stand in order to achieve negative tilt and tenting from other split keyboards, such as these.- Esrille NISSE, but making a custom stand for this might be harder
- The nyquist is also nice but I think I'd like a few more keys under the thumbs.
- Raise looks okay, but no ortholinear/column offset layout.
These reviews have been helpful.- http://www.allthingsergo.com/the-best-ergonomic-mechanical-keyboards/
- http://www.allthingsergo.com/dyi-ergonomic-keyboard/
I'm interested in wood keyboards and caps, and also maybe some metal.