this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2023
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ErgoMechKeyboards
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Ergonomic, split and other weird keyboards
Rules
Keep it ergo
Posts must be of/about keyboards that have a clear delineation between the left and right halves of the keyboard, column stagger, or both. This includes one-handed (one half doesn't exist, what clearer delineation is that!?)
i.e. no regular non-split¹ row-stagger and no non-split¹ ortholinear²
¹ split meaning a separation of the halves, whether fixed in place or entirely separate, both are fine.
² ortholinear meaning keys layed out in a grid
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Some useful links
- EMK wiki
- Split keyboard compare tool
- Compare keycap profiles Looking for another set of keycaps - check this site to compare the different keycap profiles https://www.keycaps.info/
- Keymap database A database with all kinds of keymap layouts - some of them fits ergo keyboards - get inspired https://keymapdb.com/
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At someone who has to pound a lot of keys for a living, I've taken a small passing interest in these sorts of split boards, especially since they keep popping up so prevalently in the Lemmy "all" feed. (Currently I use a variety of traditional, but very nice mechanical keyswitched, 104 key boards.)
But... The apparent universal lack of a number row is turning me off of all the offerings I'm seeing on display, or built by others. Is there a reason for that? I use my number pad a lot, ergonomically terrible or not, but losing not only that but also the number row would drive me batshit. No arrows, either? Are you guys doing all that stuff with foot pedals, Fn key combos, or telepathy, or do you have a manservant off to the side holding a numeric pad for you, or what?
Generally yes, for keyboards without a number row we will tend to use some combination of those kinds of tricks. In the past I've had numbers on the homerow under an fn key (note that said fn key is on a thumb key so easier to press than the standard location for fn keys on regular keyboards). Currently I have a number row as vertical combos on my Sweep (34 key low profile split). So q+a = 1, w+s = 2, and so on. As well as a numpad on one half under a fn key (we call these layers). So for long strings of numbers I use the numpad layer, for short ones I use my "virtual number row".
However, I got here gradually, my first split was a keebio Iris (which has a number row) and have gone progressively in the direction of smaller ones. There are a good number of numrow inclusive splits out there. Some examples:
Splitkb.com is due to release the Elora (Kyria, but with a number row) Any Day Now™️
On foot pedals, I have a stack of them but haven't got around to making use of them in any projects yet. Others have
I've built myself a Redox (Open Source split keyboard).
That one has a number row. Also due to the possibility of programming multiple layers I can hold down a key on the left half, then use the right half as a numpad.
It would also be possible to program it as a toggle button to switch to jumped more, so you don't have to hold it down, but I prefer not having some kind of invisible state in my keyboard that I have to keep track of.
There are certainly split ergo boards with number rows, but I think the reason they're less popular is that once people try one of these boards they realize they really like the reduced finger movement. Personally, I am using a square numpad on a second layer (as other commentors have explained) and am really starting to like it. Moving all the symbols to another separate layer also drastically reduces use of the numbers for programming, for example.
Disclaimer: I daily drive, including write code, on a Ferris Sweep.
Each of my 4 thumb keys are tap for space, tab, enter, and backspace. But I hold one of those keys and I enter a dedicated layer for navigation, a 10-key number pad, a custom symbol layer, and my media and F-keys.
It does take a bit of getting used to but the trade off is holding an extra key compared to having to lift my hand off of home row and moving to arrows, number row, number pad, etc. I basically never have to look at where my hands are and still retain 100% functionality of a full size board.
I recently bought a Dygma Raise (with the tenting kit) and it has been great so far. Very pricey, but worth it. As for a numpad, it's on another layer now (hardware layers are awesome).
i have a number row, and a number pad (on a layer)
look up the lily58 for a rumber row.
for a numpad, I just press a key with my thumb on the left keyboard, and my whole right keyboard becomes a numpad. 7 8 9 stay in the same place as they normally are on the number row, with 4 5 6 under them, 1 2 3 under those.
works like a charm
I dont ever use a tenkey anyway, but there are options with numbers rows and for over two years now my F keys have been layered with my number row. I like the combination of a keyboard + track ball. The Charybdis is a good split with a number row, just make sure its not the Charybdis Nano if you want to take a look (both made by bastardkb).
I don’t think most people here are doing a good job of explaining how you work with a small split. In general, you program them to do exactly what you want them to do. So if you want a numpad, then you add a numpad. If you want it on its own layer then you can do that, or you can make it based on other keys.
For a long time I had mine set up so that I literally just hold my thumb down and then everything under that hand turned into a numpad. You didn’t need to move your hand at all and you got a full numpad. Nowadays I don’t use a numpad, so I just have to hold to get a number layer. And my symbols layer (I’m a programmer) is directly under my home row, all the way across. So I literally don’t need to lift my fingers from the home row to type all of my most used non letter characters.
The whole point is that it’s customizable and you can do pretty much anything you want. Some people even have 12 key keyboards (that’s not a joke). And they’re fully functional.
Try the UHK. I'm quite happy with mine.