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Building the Developer's Dream Keyboard
New submitter mondalaci writes: This article is about building the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard step by step, starting with an Arduino. Lots of pictures and nerd talk included. It's a mechanical keyboard that can split down the middle and re-merge, and it has four layers of keymappings to keep the design compact. It will support custom keymaps as well. They're planning to release the firmware and design files under the GPLv3, and they're working on repair instructions, too.
What would be nice would be a multi-key "gaming" keyboard, except with color e-ink on each key so one can not just map keys, but show where they are mapped.
This keyboard seems to have already filled this role.
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Come on now, a developer keyboard with no navigation keys? Really? Okay, so you can map multiple key combinations to represent them. Still, no way. If I want to highlight the text to the left of the cursor, I use CTRL-SHIFT-LEFT_ARROW. If I want to select the text from the cursor to the end of the line, I use CTRL-SHIFT-END. I already use those navigation keys in 3-key combos. I don't need it to be a 4-key combo, or something totally proprietary to the point I can only function with any proficiency on a keyboard that there is exactly one of in the entire world.
When I chose my last dev machine a few months ago, I really, really tried to make it a Macbook. I figured I could dual-boot windows and have all my bases covered. I had already tried using my older Macbook as a dev machine, and had given up. Why? No Home, End, PgUp or PgDown keys. As I stated above, I already use 3 key combos with those keys. I'm not about to try and make it a 4 key combo because Apple puts style over functionality. (and of course no Macbooks are touchscreen, and part of my work is making sure that web based multitouch HTML5 works properly on modern touch-screen desktop browsers).
Better known as 318230.
No arrow keys, no side numeric keypad? Not interested.
Probably an Apple user. Its also missing the developer critical keys Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, Delete, Insert.
I'm stuck back on a Thinkpad x220 because as far as I can tell OEMs have abandoned developers with keyboards missing keys.
No arrow, function or pretty much anything useful keys, seems like a nightmare.
The perfect keyboard has been around for a long time an IBM M13 mine is nearly 20 years old and in perfect working order. While I like the larger keyboard with f13-24 it's a pita to get many OS's to use them. You can also bludgeon an intruder with it and go back to typing.
No sir I dont like it.
Just because Americans are taught to press the 6 key with their right hand it's not the best way to go. We Hungarians are taught to press it with our left hand. Using your left hand is more ergonomical because you don't have to reach out so far. More info at http://deskthority.net/keyboar...
Another keyboard with staggered rows, in 2015?
Row staggering was a workaround for a mechanical typewriter, so that the levers that went from each key to the type ball would not overlap. It has not been necessary on any of the computer keyboards ever designed.
On newly designed keyboards, stagger the columns instead, matching the variation in finger length.
It's not 1 manufacturer but about 10 all over the world, some of them located in Hungary, the most critical ones being in close proximity so that we will be able to do final QC on the spot and directly communicate with them. Andras is a mechanical engineer, having an established workshop nearby and many connections in the industry. Final assembly will take place in the workshop.
Have to change modes to hit esc is a big fail. Real developers use vi!
stenography uses what, sixteen keys? No less than two of which (the thumbs I guess) are exclusive control characters, which puts you down to 14. With a dedicated stenotype board you can hit 255wpm with no problem once you get used to the shorthand (some people can hit 300. I do just fine at 110 on a standard QWERTY). That's fast enough to transcribe a lively debate in real time. There are open source stenotype packages out there that allow you to remap a standard QWERTY and with a little creative keytop swapping you can be a stenographer in the comfort of your mom's basement. Plover is one such package.
Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
Probably for silly reasons like increasing speed and decreasing carpal tunnel,
Keeping your hands still and not moving them *helps* repetitive stress injuries??? The consensus nowadays with typing, sitting at a desk... anything repetitive, is that changing positions often is key.