A proposal for a new SSK
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Last edited by M'er Forever on 25 Dec 2013, 20:59, edited 1 time in total.
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Muirium
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- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
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Matt understood me right. Caps Lock is a much loathed key among us and many people; given by the fact that manufacturers like Filco, Ducky and Topre routinely include it and the Windows key's remapping in their handful of user configurable dip switches. I'd prefer a fully programmable keyboard, of course, but it's good to see it's not just us!
Design is the art of compromise. Apple's keyboards are heavily compromised to the side of a certain brand of aesthetics, with quite unnecessary thinness for desktop use. They're the authority on Mac keyboards, but not design outright. The run-on row of function keys they've used for a decade now is a usability mistake. And with the way that Apple has made much use of the function row for its media and windows management keys — functions I use routinely — it's more asinine now than ever. I can control a Mac's functions so much easier from literally every other brand of keyboard!
Design is the art of compromise. Apple's keyboards are heavily compromised to the side of a certain brand of aesthetics, with quite unnecessary thinness for desktop use. They're the authority on Mac keyboards, but not design outright. The run-on row of function keys they've used for a decade now is a usability mistake. And with the way that Apple has made much use of the function row for its media and windows management keys — functions I use routinely — it's more asinine now than ever. I can control a Mac's functions so much easier from literally every other brand of keyboard!
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Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
If you make this keyboard programmable, you'll get to keep it *and* please us. Programmability is how my Model Ms and the like really fly with Exposé and such. I define the layers and the macros by Soarer's Converter. Meanwhile the default config for this SSK (which most people will always use) can have hATEFUL cAPS lOCK in its typical maddening place, so everyone else can exercise the backspace key as they please. Tada.
Not everything is a zero sum game.
Not everything is a zero sum game.
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Last edited by M'er Forever on 28 Dec 2013, 10:02, edited 3 times in total.
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Last edited by M'er Forever on 28 Dec 2013, 10:05, edited 3 times in total.
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wcass
- Location: Columbus, OH, USA
- Main keyboard: ibm model m
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i agree with those that say - let the controller be programmable. I can get most any key printed with most anything i want from Unicomp. So if i want Colemak or Dvorak or something completely unique, i can have that. if i want macros, or just want to move a single key, i can have that too.
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Muirium
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I like what you've done with the new F-key spacing. So long as there's still a noticeable strait between each island, I'm fine with it. The degenerative case is what Apple's done with them all running together. My MacBook Pro's backlight might as well just like that one top row, the time I ever use it! Islands are a huge usability win.
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matt3o
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the best place for the FN key is to the right of the right shift key (reducing the size of the shift itself). I know it's not standard layout but ergonomically I don't like the current suggested position.
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Muirium
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- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
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- DT Pro Member: µ
Matt's suggestion is straight off the HHKB, a legendary keyboard:
I use that exact placement of Fn on my 60%, too, and it is indeed awesome. The right hand Shift key is a big waste of space at its far end. It can easily lose a whole unit and still be high profile and easy to hit. I wouldn't necessarily suggest this in a mainstream form factor, but on a 60% it's the best place I've found for a layer key, ever.
I'm not sure what's pulling you to a locking function key. The original SSK was smart to bring a whole new lock to the table — its integrated num pad, which brings purpose and meaning to Num Lock for once and for all, and was copied on many laptops — but I suspect a function lock would have the same confusion costs as you've stated you're trying to avoid elsewhere.
Besides, locks are one thing, but latches are what we really want! A lot of work with buckling spring…
I use that exact placement of Fn on my 60%, too, and it is indeed awesome. The right hand Shift key is a big waste of space at its far end. It can easily lose a whole unit and still be high profile and easy to hit. I wouldn't necessarily suggest this in a mainstream form factor, but on a 60% it's the best place I've found for a layer key, ever.
I'm not sure what's pulling you to a locking function key. The original SSK was smart to bring a whole new lock to the table — its integrated num pad, which brings purpose and meaning to Num Lock for once and for all, and was copied on many laptops — but I suspect a function lock would have the same confusion costs as you've stated you're trying to avoid elsewhere.
Besides, locks are one thing, but latches are what we really want! A lot of work with buckling spring…
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Last edited by M'er Forever on 26 Dec 2013, 22:20, edited 3 times in total.
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Daemon Raccoon
- Location: Flyover Country, United States
- Main keyboard: Model M SSK 1391472
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The way the Model M barrel plate is currently set up, you'd have to place the function key to the left of the right Shift key (that's so the M barrels can support ISO/ANSI/JIS with only a change in spring position, stabilisers, and keys ).
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matt3o
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I would not mess with the default SSK layout. Just place the controller on a dautherboard that can be swapped and let the hackers work on a custom controller 
Another alternative for the FN key would to make the spacebar 6u and add the fn right of the menu key.
PS: a layer is exactly what you said.
Another alternative for the FN key would to make the spacebar 6u and add the fn right of the menu key.
PS: a layer is exactly what you said.
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scottc
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Fixed that for you!matt3o wrote:Another alternative for the FN key would bethe menu key.Spoiler:
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matt3o
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lol. agreed on that.
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Muirium
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- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
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Zealots, eh? I can just hear the full size keyboard contingent wondering why the hell we all like being robbed of our numpads as much! More is more, surely.
Try a 60% sometime. I use all the common sizes (I have a 122 key Model M in rotation too) and while each of them has its charm, 60% feels the smartest to me. Ancillary keys don't need to take up space, and learning an arrow cluster in the main alpha area makes for faster editing in practice. My own SSK uses the HHKB cursor diamond when I hold Caps Lock: its Fn key!
Try a 60% sometime. I use all the common sizes (I have a 122 key Model M in rotation too) and while each of them has its charm, 60% feels the smartest to me. Ancillary keys don't need to take up space, and learning an arrow cluster in the main alpha area makes for faster editing in practice. My own SSK uses the HHKB cursor diamond when I hold Caps Lock: its Fn key!
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Last edited by M'er Forever on 27 Dec 2013, 10:15, edited 1 time in total.
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scottc
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- Location: Remote locations in Europe
- Main keyboard: GH60-HASRO 62g Nixies, HHKB Pro1 HS, Novatouch
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No, I was implying that the menu key is useless and should be entirely replaced with Fn. Its only purpose, to my knowledge, is to trigger a right mouse-click (though if anyone knows better then please correct me!).M'er Forever wrote:If I understood you correctly, that means the Menu key can be used to invoke the alternate functions of those keys that have them, including the F-keys? In other words, does that mean an Fn key on a Win/Menu-key equipped PC keyboard is completely superfluous? I see a potential conflict here if, for example, the F-keys all have predetermined alternate functions (such as Media Controls, Mail, Display Brightness, Sound Volume, etc.) then any apps that call for a combination of the Menu key and an F-key would be problematic if the F-keys are already programmed at the factory with the aforementioned predetermined alternate functions?scottc wrote:Fixed that for you!matt3o wrote:Another alternative for the FN key would bethe menu key.Spoiler: