Kinesis Advantage Keyboard Layouts

Kinesis Advantage2 Default Layout

Kinesis default layout is well designed, optimal for people who type a lot, but not for people with smaller hands and need to press Ctrl and Alt key frequently. (Such as in photoshop or emacs.)

Thumb Keys Ease Ranking

First of all, it's important to know which keys are easier to press. Because you need to map the most used modifier key to the most easy-to-press physical keys.

The ordering depends on your hand size.

I'm average sized Asian male.

For you, the ease order of the thumb keys will be different if you have large hands.

Here is the order of the ease of reach of the keys, for me:

1. The Backspace ⌫ is where my thumb rests on. This is the most easy key to hit.
2. Next easy key is the Delete ⌦.
3. Next is Ctrl. To hit Ctrl, i move my thumb up a bit.
4. Next is Alt. I move my whole hand up and to the right to press it.
5. Next, Home position is next easy key.
6. The most hard-to-reach position is the End. I need to move whole hand about 2 cm down to reach it, or, stretch my thumb.

Problems with Default Layout

The default layout is actually very well thought out.

Here's possible problems:

Escape is a tiny button. hard to press. This key is frequently used by programers.

Alt+Tab is hard to press. You have to expand stretch your left hand to press that key combination.

here's other minor problems.

If you frequently need to press Ctrl or Alt, such as with emacs or photoshop, then, it's a problem, because the Alt is hard to reach.

Also, having 2 Ctrl seems a waste, because with thumb keys, it should be possible to live with just one Ctrl comfortably.

If we consider only left hand's modifier keys, then

Ctrl+Backspace ⌫ is hard to do with just left hand,

Ctrl+← and Ctrl+→ are also hard to do with just left hand.

Xah Layout D14

• Xah Fly Keys Layout for Kinesis/Ergodox Keyboard

Xah Layout D13

This layout i used for 4 years, from 2016-10 to 2020-03.

The disadvantage of this layout are:

• Tab is in a difficult position pressed by pinky. Tab is used very often for completion in programing.
• Escape (not seen) is in a difficult position, and a tiny button. Escape is often used by programers for cancel. Or by vim users.

Ergo IBM PC Layout

The design of this one is to be close to the IBM PC keyboard:

• Ctrl and Alt for both left and right hands.
• Ctrl is in positions close to traditional PC keyboard, can be pressed by a first technique. For example, curve your left hand into a fist, then sit on the left Control key.
• Alt is also easy to press.
• Tab is in easy position. Tab is frequently used by programer.
• Win key, is not much used, and in good position that won't be hit by mistake.
• Arrow keys together, in a more intuitive cluster.

Here's the config file.

[2]>[7]
[1]>[8]
[7]>[2]
[8]>[1]

[tab]>[\]
[caps]>[home]
[scroll]>[vol-]
[pause]>[vol+]
[\]>[hyphen]

[left]>[lctrl]
[right]>[lalt]
[up]>[ralt]
[down]>[rctrl]

[lctrl]>[tab]
[lalt]>[escape]
[home]>[pup]
[end]>[pdown]

[rctrl]>[right]
[rwin]>[left]
[pup]>[up]
[pdown]>[down]

{hyphen}>{speed5}{-lalt}{tab}{+lalt}

How to Program Kinesis Keyboard

Kinesis Advantage2 Programing Guide

Kinesis Keyboard Review

See also:

• Thumb Keyboard Layouts