Xah keyboard Blog

Dvorak vs Colemak write JavaScript svg for bigram and word frequency. remove static images, check all pages.
Keyboard Layout, Is Inverted Number Row Better? make the char frequency interactive on each page. remove static image, check all pages.
French Letter Frequency, remove static heatmap image. add JavaScript svg.
Pinyin Letter Frequency 拼音字母頻率

2020-09-19

Major update. Write JavaScript + SVG for all keyboard layout diagrams. Still have lots improvements to do.

2020-09-18

Mechanical Keyboard Noise Comparison. updated
CM Storm NovaTouch keyboard, failed

2020-09-14

xah talk show 2020-09-14, programable keyboard, keyboard input tools for image/video editing

2020-09-14

what is this?

geeksocial switch opener shN6X — geeksocial switch opener Buy at amazon

2020-09-14

Loupedeck Photo Editing Console

2020-09-12

Arrow Keys added several more photos.

2020-09-12

review, updated, repost.

2020-09-03

Xah Talk Show 2020-09-03, Evolution of Laptop Keyboards

2020-09-03

lol, someone bought this. 100 dollars. Was 20 back in 2003

Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000

2020-09-02

Microsoft Surface Book Keyboard

2020-09-02

Macbook

2020-09-02

Thinkpad Keyboard

2020-09-01

Logitech G604 Mouse added optimal setup for web browsing.

2020-08-31

Kneeling Chair

2020-08-31

Best Monitor, Xah Pick

2020-08-30

todo, review

Function Key vs Key Chord, Which is Healthier, Which is Faster?

Atari 400/800

todo, review

todo, review, work in progress

DEC VT220 terminal LK201 keyboard 2JWcQ-s250

DEC VT220 + LK201, 1983

review, Xah Keyboard Blog 2018-06

review, Keyboard Evolution: Zoom Button, Dedicated Keys
review, Using a Second Keyboard as Programable Keypad

new section at bottom on ancient switches Keyboard Key Switch Mechanisms

San Francisco Bay Area Keyboard Meetup 2017-11 Impressions

todo https://www.vexc-how-design.com/tech-specs

sezen's key switch ranking:

S+ tier : Matias click, BTC dome w/ slider (new to newish condition. rare to find such condition)
A+ tier: Outemu sky 62g, box navy, matias quiet click
A tier : Hako Royal Trues (pre-retooled), brand new rubber dome
B tier: Gateron clear, BTC foam and foil, cherry red/silent red, Hako royal trues (retooled)
C tier: Varmilo sakura, cherry speed silver, Hako trues
D tier: cherry blue, cherry brown, cherry black
F tier: outemu blue, kailh purple

BTC is https://deskthority.net/wiki/BTC_dome_with_slider

Varmilo is Varmilo EC Switch

todo review

Hall Effect Switch Keyboards

xmit hall effect keyboard 2016-11-12 98908-s250

XMIT Keyboard

todo, write up

@demon btw there's also an article on 'ban shift key'. but, i've tried to get rid of shift about 3 times in separate years, but ultimately they all failed. basically, when using OS or app shortcuts, i find that sometimes one just need shift. hard to do so sans a dedicated shift as is. I also tried to have just a single shift, that didn't work out neither.

i guess my question is why not use the thumbs for shift?

@demon i think there are 2 reasons for me. one is, even with keyboard with lots thumb keys, but practically, each thumb can only have 3 comfy thumb keys. but there's lots commands competing for those spots. Also, if you have a thumb key for shift, there's a question about whether it should be both hands. So, it'll may use 2 thumb spots. For me, i ultimately chose not to have shift in thumb. But i think shift at thumb is absolutely a great idea. (the traditional shift spots, are shitty. )

the reason i ultimately don't have thumb for shift is because... few reasons. one is that, if you do it on one keyboard such as kinesis, but your other keyboards for work or home may not be the same keyboard, such as uhk or gergo or any other. So, you have some sort of juggling mental map/layouts of diff keyboards. If shift stay in traditional positions, you have 1 less such worry. Second reason is, as i mentioned, traditional software often expect a normal shift, at traditional position. so it's hard to remove all shift or make them one-time-shift or other weird mod. third reason is, the symbol keys (shifted number) is a bit complex. depending on what keyboard and cirmware capabilities, it's complex to create symbol map sans being a number key, or impossible to do that at all. (i think it's impossible on kinesis, but i haven't really explored.)

put it in another way: if you just have 1 keyboard, or just 1 type. say, all your keyboards are ergodox, then, you create your own optimal shift/symbol system, and that'd be good. but with diff keyboards, weird customized layout creates more complexity. (especially shift. unlike control alt winkey, the shift is more complex because it ties to number symbol)

and why use the number row if you have to reach farther?

@demon this is about the science of keymapping. :slight_smile: for example, i can ask, why press 2 keys when you can just press one?

i have a article on how to compute shortcut layout efficiency score. Emacs vs vim, Compute Keybinding Efficiency http://xahlee.info/kbd/efficiency_of_keybinding_emacs_vs_vim.html

and my last vid on gergo keyboard talked about that

gonna post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjtW6bJh3ws

Xah Talk Show 2020-07-18 gergo keyboard review, and keyboard geeking

@demon i've been using uhk for 3 months as my main. and that is extensively used.

one major problem with that is, if you have a duel function key, that key will lose the ability to be hold and repeat. One great example is the back delete key. I put it on thumb. (partly due to kinesis habit, partly because it's really freq used). But, i also made it to be a dual fuction modifier. But now, i can no longer hold that key to repeat delete.

this is the biggest problem i found with dual function key.

another issue with one-shot shift is that, now if you need TO TYPE CAPS, the one shot shift becomes a problem. Unless, now you need another key for capslock.

or, unless you always work in emacs vi etc that has a command to upcase word or sentence. But, often in browser, discord, chat etc, it's not practical to assume you always in emacs.

for example, when in chat, someone is typing all caps, either as a joke or something, and you want to joke back or report, STOP THAT! but, then you realize it's hard to type that cuz u don't have standard shift nor capslock.

or for example, say you are not a gamer, but this one time you want to try out a game your friend suggested. Then, you realized you can't cuz your keyboard no have normal shift.

small issues like that.

another example. In Mac or Windows, sometimes you have pressing shift 5 times to turn on certain keyboard feature.

the thing with extreme customization is that, once you stopped using that particular keyboard or system, for a few months, it's hard to come back to it cuz you forgot what keys do what. This happens in life. e.g. unexpected you have a vacation, covid, or got sick, etc.

in those situation, when u r back at your keyboard, you have to fetch your notes or diagram of your layout. Or, when your app/OS changed due to new comp etc or switch job, or lang, the workflow changed. then, often you find your ultimate, truly finely customized ultimate layout, is no longer optimal. Then, it's back to redesign all over again. very time consuming.

todo, read https://mntre.com/media/reform_md/2020-05-08-the-much-more-personal-computer.html

todo. work in progress 40 Percent Crap

Keyboards without Numeric Keypad todo, review

Xah's Truly Ergonomic Keyboard Layouts todo need fix the layout app new url

todo. read. [Chapter 6:CASE STUDY 2:CHORD KEYBOARDS 2013-07-29 By Bill Buxton. At http://www.billbuxton.com/input06.ChordKeyboards.pdf ]

Bill Buxton is a input expert in academia. He's old, 60 or 70s. He has a collection of input devices and website. But the photos are all tiny. He's on twitter. But i stopped following him. Cuz he doesn't really post interenting things.

2020-08-30

Chromebook Keyboard

2020-08-30

X No Chord Keyboard updated

2020-08-30

Dvorak vs Programable Dvorak
on its own page. separated from Ergonomic Keyboard Layouts

2020-08-29

old article. someone asking about my monitor. Xah Monitor 2014

2020-08-29

Best Ergonomic Keyboards, Xah Pick
minor update

2020-08-28

Difference Between Apple and PC keyboards
minor update

2020-08-28

Atreus Keyboard
minor update

2020-08-28

Keybinding Design is a Linear Programing Problem

2020-08-25

updated.

2020-08-25

Ergonomic Keyboard Layout for Portuguese: pt-Nativo
updated

2020-08-25

Trackball Ball Sizes and Replacement
updated

2020-08-25

Univac F-1355-00 Keyboard, 1971
updated

2020-08-23

NEC APC-H412 blue oval switch y6k7j-s250x250

NEC APC-H412, 1989

2020-08-23

added Butter Stick Programable Keypad to Programable Keypads

2020-08-23

Best External Drive

2020-08-23

Advantages of Solid-State Drive vs Hard Drive (SSD vs HDD)

2020-08-22

Racal-Norsk KPS-10 Lisp Keyboard

2020-08-21

repost. minor updates.

2020-08-21

invac optical switch 20171111 86729-s-s289x217

Invac PK-200, 1966

2020-08-21

Chinese Typewriter History
added a video

2020-08-19

Xah Keyboard Testimonials

2020-08-17

xah food 20200817 and you buy!

2020-08-16

GameBall Trackball

2020-08-16

Stylus Pen

Broke after 41 days. Do not buy.

2020-08-15

Cute Keycaps

2020-08-15

gergo xah fly keys layout L0 2020-06-27 sjfb2-s250

Xah Gergo Layout

on its own page.

2020-08-13

major updates on ergodox pages

2020-08-13

Moonlander 72

2020-08-11

Gergo Keyboard
added my video

2020-08-11

Typing Multi Layouts

2020-08-08

Linux: X11 Keyboard Key Names
minor update

2020-08-07

touchscreen helm USS Dewey DDG 105 8x6zv-s264x237

Navy Wants Knobs and Sliders, No Touchscreen

updated

2020-08-06

Best Computer Desk

2020-08-03

Stylus Pen

added photos.

2020-08-02

new photo. emacs logo on trackball.
L-Trac Trackball

2020-08-02

Russian Keyboard Layout and Programing
minor update.

2020-08-02

Cable Modem and Wifi Router

added photo

2020-08-02

Leopold FC980C

new photo

2020-08-02

USB Speakers

added photos.

2020-07-29

2020-07-28

L-Trac Trackball
back on sell at amazon.

2020-07-27

a highly recommended headset.

HyperX Cloud II - Gaming Headset Buy at amazon

2020-07-26

Ergodox Keyboard Thumb Keys Pain

2020-07-25

macOS: Create Custom Keyboard Layout
major update

2020-07-25

Mac Keyboard Viewer
updated

2020-07-25

Matias Mini Tactile Pro Keyboard
more updates

2020-07-25

you could return the Leopold FC660C keyboard and buy 3 Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard or Optical Key Switch Keyboard or the superb Epomaker Niz Plum or any number of ergo mech programable split Best Ergonomic Keyboards, Xah Pick

2020-07-24

Gergoplex 36

gonna play with this in the coming days.

2020-07-24

updated

2020-07-24

roccat ends linux support?

Roccat keyboard and mouse used to have great linux support. Seems, that ended. see

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/5js1l2/im_stefan_achatz_stopping_programming_linux/

2020-07-22

Keyboard Key Switch Mechanisms. major update.
IBM Model M keyboard. minor update.
HAVIT Keyboard. new photos
Leopold FC660C keyboard. new photo

2020-07-22

Optical Switch

2020-07-22

Topre Switch

2020-07-22

Kailh Switch
major update

2020-07-22

Romer-G Switch

2020-07-22

Kailh BOX Switch

2020-07-22

Kailh Choc Switch

major update.

2020-07-21

got a new idea. gonna swap the keycaps in HAVIT Keyboard to use on Gergo Keyboard

2020-07-21

Keyboard Page Key

2020-07-19

Intel NUC Mini Computer

2020-07-19

Laptop Sticker

2020-07-17

old pages, minor updates

2020-07-16

How Many Keyboard Shortcuts Are There

major update. now formula in JavaScript

2020-07-16

my old article. my spacious office in y2k, with Sun Microsystems hardware. Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard
old article, repost.

2020-07-16

wow, you can buy a Huawei phone on amazon.

Huawei P30 128GB+6GB RAM (ELE-L29) 6.1″ LTE Factory Unlocked GSM Smartphone (International Version) Buy at amazon

2020-07-15

random updates.

2020-07-14

minor updates. ROCCAT is known for linux support.

2020-07-14

my smart phone Moto G5 Plus, 2017

2020-07-14

minor updates to a bunch of pages. mostly fixed the amazon link to direct product, not search.

2020-07-14

minor updates

2020-07-13

Space Bar

2020-07-13

Keychron K2

2020-07-12

French Keyboard Ergonomic Layout
updated. thanks to the creator of dvorak-fr.

2020-07-11

Tactile Bump Stickers

2020-07-11

now, i need a unicode symbol to represent wireless, for wireless keyboard

ok, here's a symbol closest to bluetooth ᛒ. Unicode Rune ᚠ .

2020-07-11

Filco Majestouch MINILA

2020-07-11

French Keyboard Ergonomic Layout
updated

2020-07-11

Epomaker Niz

added a video

2020-07-10

now, review.

G604

2020-07-09

Microsoft surface book problems

My Microsoft surface pen stopped working one day after a Microsoft Windows update. Also, typecover keyboard, which i don't use much. But one day, i tried to use it, it won't power on.

updated Microsoft Surface Pro

2020-07-09